No Nukes Koizumi

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ind is blowing against nuclear resumption policy of Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. Former Premier, Jun-ichiro Koizumi, started a campaign to recommend Abe to decide nuclear free Japan. Legislators in Liberal Democratic Party raised their voices to demand restrictive policy on restarting nuclear power plants in Japan. All are based on anxiety for uncontrollable contaminated water in First Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.

In an interview of Mainichi Shimbun late August, Koizumi argued that Japan needed no nuclear plant. “There is no place in Japan for nuclear waste. If we don’t decide it, it will be hard to do it in the future. It is possible with Prime Minister’s determination,” told Koizumi. One month later, he made his standpoint clear in his speech in Nagoya City. “Although business men criticize no nuclear argument to be irresponsible, it is them who are not responsible for nuclear waste policy. If LDP upheld no nuclear plant policy, a trend for it will be fixed. We can be united for a dream of recycle society with renewable energy,” he insisted.

The staffs of Abe administration look reluctant to respond Koizumi’s proposal. Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, put the argument aside, saying “Freedom of speech is assured to all people in this country. It is ok for them to have many opinions. He may change his view eventually.” The government of Japan still looks for resuming nuclear power plants, which safety will be reconfirmed with new standard.

However, there actually are some legislators in LDP, who are worried about the policy of government. The Resource and Energy Strategy Committee of LDP submitted Abe a proposal, requiring careful review in dealing with contaminated water in First Fukushima. They argued that current plan to block the underground water with “frozen walls” beneath the surface would be failed, and recommended to build concrete walls.

Both Koizumi and LDP had been firm promoters of increasing nuclear power plant. Although there were a lot of skepticisms on safety of nuclear power generation, the party supported increasing nuclear reactors. All fifty-four reactors were decided to build under LDP administration. It is responsible for LDP to review its past nuclear policies and to show an actual plan for getting rid of nuclear dependent energy structure.

Even if Koizumi is his mentor of actual politics, Abe made no response to his recommendation. But, it was Abe who said the water was under control, the contemplation which no body believed in. Firstly, it is Abe’s responsibility to show the reason why he can control the contaminated water, and assure the safety of nuclear reactors in Japan.