information about Fukushima published in English in Japanese media info publiée en anglais dans la presse japonaise
28 Décembre 2012
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/politics/AJ201212280059
The Abe administration is moving swiftly to distance itself from the nuclear-free society envisioned by its predecessor.
Early on Dec. 27, hours after Shinzo Abe formed his Cabinet, his economy minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, said the government would review the Democratic Party of Japan administration's ban on building new nuclear reactors that currently exist only on the drawing board.
Plans exist for nine such reactors. Additionally, construction is already under way on three further reactors, which the DPJ said can continue.
Motegi was speaking at his first news conference after assuming office. His declaration calls into question the DPJ's pledge to shut down all nuclear reactors by the 2030s—and perhaps pushes back the deadline indefinitely.
The DPJ aimed to meet the target by preventing construction of new reactors and by decommissioning existing ones as they reached the end of their standard 40-year service life. This would result in a gradual decrease from the current total of 50 reactors.
Because Motegi has opened the door to possible construction of new reactors, that scenario is now unlikely.
But it remains unclear whether coalition partner New Komeito will consent to the Liberal Democratic Party's plan to restore dependence on nuclear energy.
New Komeito called for a nuclear-free future as it campaigned for seats in the Lower House election. The coalition agreement with the LDP calls for reducing dependence on nuclear energy "as much as possible."
During a televised discussion Dec. 22, New Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi said it would be a bad idea at the moment to approve building new reactors.
"That is something that would not likely win public understanding," he said.
Appearing on the same TV program, Shigeru Ishiba, the LDP secretary-general, countered, saying construction was possible. But Yamaguchi said such a decision should only be taken after much caution.
Meanwhile, Motegi's comment pleased advocates of nuclear power and angered those opposed, especially in Fukushima Prefecture, which is still a long way from recovering from the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant last year.
"That is only to be expected," said Yasuchika Hasegawa, chairman of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives, reacting to Motegi's comment. He added, "It was still too early to be setting any kind of deadline and such a definitive statement should not have been made."
Local leaders whose localities already have nuclear reactors were generally pleased that further construction is now possible.
"Next year will be a good one," said Kazuharu Kawase, mayor of Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, which hosts a number of plants. They provide significant local employment.
Japan Atomic Power Co. plans to build two new reactors at its Tsuruga plant, adding to two already there. Initial plans called for the No. 3 reactor to enter service in 2017, and the No. 4 reactor in 2018.
Municipal government officials did not hide their disdain for the DPJ government and were clearly waiting for the LDP to take the reins of power once again.
There is now the possibility of construction beginning at the Kaminoseki plant in Yamaguchi Prefecture, a project which has polarized the town since it was first proposed in 1982.
One advocate is municipal assembly member Tetsuo Nishi, 65.
"I am reassured by the statement, which gives us hope," he said.
But on Iwaishima island, 4 kilometers from the planned site, a group of residents remains steadfastly opposed.
"Does the LDP want to once again torment the residents of Iwaishima?" asked 35-year-old Takashi Yamato. "We will continue our fight until it retracts the decision."
Choichi Ujimoto, 62, is a local organic farmer.
"Our 30-year struggle will continue," he said. "Since we cannot ask older residents to strive harder, it is us who must lead the cause now. We will show that we can make a living even without revenues associated with the nuclear plant."
The town of Namie, Fukushima Prefecture, today remains all but deserted. It lies close to the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.
Residents still cannot return, and yet Tohoku Electric Power Co. has plans to build a new nuclear plant right there—at Namie.
"I cannot accept the idea of building a new plant when no clear explanation has been made of the cause of the nuclear accident," said Namie Mayor Tamotsu Baba.
"Does this mean the suffering has not been understood? Or is it a sign that the accident has already been forgotten?" Baba said.
New industry minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the policy to reduce the nation's reliance on nuclear power to zero in the 2030s, espoused by the previous government led by the Democratic Party of Japan, needs to be reviewed.
It is impossible for Japan to abandon its nuclear fuel cycle policy anytime soon, he also said at a news conference after the launch of the Cabinet of new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday.
"We will do all we can to ensure a stable power supply so that domestic economic activities won't be affected," Motegi said.
The government will take responsibility for restarting idled nuclear reactors once their safety is confirmed by the Nuclear Regulation Authority, he added.
Currently, only two of the nation's 50 nuclear reactors are operating. The two--the Nos. 3 and 4 units at Kansai Electric Power Co.'s Oi nuclear power plant--resumed operations in July. They are the first to have been restarted since the outbreak of the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.
(Dec. 28, 2012)
http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20121227p2a00m0na014000c.html
The administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is poised to review plans to shut down all nuclear power plants by the 2030s, as promised by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)-led administration, the new trade minister said.
"We need to review the policy," Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told a news conference after a Cabinet meeting on Dec. 27.
Motegi also said the government will resume operations at idled nuclear plants on condition that it wins understanding from local communities.
"The government will decide to reactivate nuclear plants under its own responsibility if they are confirmed safe," Motegi said.
The minister said the government will give the green light for the continuation of the construction of J-Power's Oma nuclear plant and the No. 3 reactor at Chugoku Electric Power Co.'s Shimane plant, which has already started.
Moreover, Motegi declared that the new administration will scrap the DPJ government's decision not to approve the construction of any new nuclear reactors.
"We'd like to make a political decision after we accumulate sufficient specialized expertise," he said.
In Japan, three nuclear reactors are under construction while there are plans to build nine others.
Approval of the construction of new reactors means the LDP-led government will utilize several nuclear power stations in the mid- and long-term.
Meanwhile, the minister ruled out the possibility of abandoning the nuclear fuel cycle project, in which spent nuclear fuel is to be reprocessed and reused for nuclear reactors.
/https%3A%2F%2Fassets.over-blog.com%2Ft%2Fcedistic%2Fcamera.png)