Japan now unlikely to phase out nuclear power
By: Keith Campbell
11th February 2013
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director-general Yukiya Amano is
of the opinion that the new Japanese government of Shinzo Abe (elected by a
landslide vote in December) will not phase out the country’s use of nuclear
power.
Following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March
2011, caused by a devastating earthquake and tsunami (which left more than
15 000 people dead and nearly 5 000 missing), the previous Japanese
government decided to phase out all nuclear power by the 2030s. In his
election campaign, Abe stated he would retain nuclear power.
“In January I went to Japan and had meetings with Prime Minister Abe and
other Ministers,” Amano said in response to a question from Engineering
News Online. “My impression is that the leaders of the new government are
more supportive of nuclear power. They are not talking about phasing out
nuclear power by [the] 2030s. This is not the policy being considered by the
Abe government. But it will take them time to establish a new energy policy
. I don’t think that a new energy policy will be announced shortly.”
In an address to the Institute for Security Studies, in Johannesburg, on
Friday, Amano noted that Japan had 55 nuclear power reactors of which only
two were currently in operation. “Because of this, Japan has to buy oil.
For the first time in 30 years, the country recorded a deficit [because it
had to import oil]. The deficit is increasing. Pollution is increasing [
because of the great increase in the use of oil, to fuel reactivated old
power plants]. Japan is seriously considering changing course.”
He also reported that the IAEA will soon be sending a mission to Japan to
help with the decontamination of the area affected by the Fukushima accident
. He added that there were now more than 60 technologies available for
decontamination.
“The Fukushima accident was a very strong wake-up call on safety,”
affirmed Amano. “The IAEA is implementing an action plan to increase safety
. Nuclear power is safer now than before Fukushima. All countries with
nuclear reactors have conducted stress tests.” The ability of existing
nuclear power plants to survive extreme events has been reviewed worldwide
and additional safety features have been introduced.
“Fukushima Daiichi was crippled by a great earthquake and tsunami. But
there were also human errors. There was a weak regulator,” he warned.
Strong regulators are required to ensure nuclear safety.
