Isolation in Nuclear Policy

Isolation in Nuclear Policy

Among nine parties that join the campaign for the election of the House of Councillors in late July, the Liberal Democratic Party would be marked as the first party which gave up the national goal of eliminating nuclear power plant in Japan. In the open discussion by secretary generals of the nine, LDP Secretary General, Shigeru Ishiba, answered “no” to the question asking whether the party would seek zero option, while all the rest answered “yes.” It would be a bold decision for the leading party of a country that still suffers from still unmeasurable disaster of radioactive contamination leaving over three hundred thousand of displaced people.

The Progressive Energy Strategy decided by the government of Japan last September determined that it would adopt every possible policy resource to enable no dependence on nuclear power plant in Japan by 2030s. Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, revealed his intention as soon as he became PM that he would review the policy of nuclear zero. The reason for him was that “a hope” should not immediately be a policy for a responsible party. Although Abe’s response was just a negative approach to zero, Ishiba, in the discussion between secretary generals, showed a clear “no.”

Other parties made concerted responses to LDP’s attitude. Goshi Hosono with Democratic Party of Japan told that it was strange for Prime Minister to promote nuclear power plant holding the problem of the First Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. Kenji Eda with Your Party argued that nuclear policy of the government was wrong, because it did not include the cost for dismantling facility. Tadatomo Yoshida with the Social Democratic introduced the fact that Japan had been able to go through without nuclear power last hot summer. Even the coalition partner of LDP, New Komeito, was keeping its option of nuclear zero.

It is a great contradiction for LDP to uphold nuclear promotion, which includes resumption of halted plants, importing MOX fuels from France to continue the project for nuclear fuel recycle and exporting nuclear reactors, while it appeals the reconstruction policy for Fukushima. People in Fukushima in fact want no nuclear plant not only in their place, but in Japan. They want more involvement of the government in stabilizing the reactors in First Fukushima, if it has any resource for continuing nuclear policy.

For LDP, promoting nuclear policy is international promise. But, it is just reflection of a part of interests represented by nuclear community in the United States. The world needs to know that while Japanese government encourages nuclear business in Japan, new businesses for alternative energies are discouraged.