information about Fukushima published in English in Japanese media info publiée en anglais dans la presse japonaise
23 Avril 2015
April 23, 2015
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20150423_35.html
Apr. 23, 2015 - Updated 12:44 UTC+2
Officials of Japan's industry ministry plan to reduce the nation's reliance on nuclear power in 15 years.
A ministry draft plan says nuclear power should meet 20 to 22 percent of the nation's energy needs in 2030. The figure was around 28 percent before the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.
The target for renewable energy is 22 to 24 percent, up from slightly over 10 percent in fiscal 2013.
That means the ministry expects more energy to come from sources such as solar and wind power than nuclear in 2030.
Officials say they see a need for some nuclear power to curb greenhouse gas emissions and fuel costs.
Japan's reliance on thermal power rose after the Fukushima accident. Increased use of fossil fuel led to more carbon dioxide emissions and fuel imports.
The officials took into consideration utilities' decision in March to scrap 5 aging reactors. They say more reactors could be decommissioned.
The ministry has discussed the 2030 targets at expert panel meetings since January.
Officials plan to present the draft plan to the panel next Tuesday and draw up a final plan before a Group of Seven summit in June. Measures against global warming are expected to be on the meeting agenda.
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Kyodo
The industry ministry is looking to set the target for the ratio of nuclear power generation to Japan’s total electricity production in 2030 between 20 percent to 22 percent, compared with 28.6 percent in fiscal 2010 before the Fukushima nuclear crisis, sources close to the matter said Thursday.
Miyazawa, head of the ministry overseeing the power sector, presented the plan to other Cabinet ministries during a meeting at the prime minister’s office on Thursday. He also suggested that the country generate 22 percent to 24 percent of the total electricity by renewable sources in 2030, according to the sources.
Miyazawa, however, told reporters after the meeting that nothing has been decided on the country’s future energy mix.
The ministry is expected to present the targets at next Tuesday’s meeting of a panel discussing the country’s energy mix, with a view to reaching a conclusion by the end of next month.
In the wake of the triple meltdown at Tepco’s Fukushima No. 1 plant, the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged to lower the country’s dependence on nuclear power and promote clean energy such as solar and wind. But it is also aiming to restart many of the country’s idled nuclear reactors in spite of public opposition.
Many members of the public are opposed to restarting nuclear reactors that have remained offline amid heightened safety concerns since the Fukushima crisis began. In light of persistent anti-nuclear sentiment, the government initially sought to set the target for nuclear power generation at less than 20 percent of the total.
But the industry ministry now says it would like to boost the nuclear power target to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Tokyo is striving to present its numerical goal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions based on the energy mix plan before a summit of the Group of Seven industrialized nations to be held in June in Germany.
In a related move, a panel of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party compiled a proposal Thursday that the country generate more than 30 percent of the nation’s electricity supply from renewable sources by 2030.
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