Another pledge

October 18, 2013

Abe pledges to minimize nuclear power dependence

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20131018_28.html

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged to reduce the country's reliance on nuclear energy as much as possible.

Abe was answering a question by the Japanese Communist Party in the upper house on Friday.

The party's secretariat head Tadayoshi Ichida said all of Japan's nuclear power plants are offline, but people are leading their usual lives and the economy has not collapsed.

Ichida suggested that Abe decide now to end nuclear power generation in Japan.

Abe replied that suspending the plants has increased dependence on oil and other fossil fuels.
He said people's lives and economic activity have been greatly affected because fuel imports have risen by 3 trillion yen, or more than 30 billion dollars, and electricity bills have gone up.

He also said the government will draw up a responsible energy policy that includes nuclear power generation.

Abe pledged to promote renewable energy and power-saving measures for the next 3 years or so.

He added that the government will screen the safety of nuclear power plants using the world's toughest standards, while minimizing reliance on nuclear power.