TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has instructed his government to consider developing safer, smaller nuclear reactors, signaling a renewed emphasis on nuclear energy years after many of the country’s plants were shut down.
The comments on Wednesday from Kishida – who also said the government would look at extending the lifespan of existing reactors – highlight how the Ukraine crisis and soaring energy costs have forced a change in public opinion and a policy rethink towards nuclear power.
The government had previously insisted it was not considering building new plants or replacing aged reactors, apparently to avoid stoking criticisms from people wary of nuclear fuel following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear plant disaster.
Kishida was speaking on Wednesday at a “green transformation” conference on bolstering the country’s efforts to curb emissions of greenhouse gases. Japan has pledged to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
The prime minister said the panel presented proposals for the development and construction of “new innovative reactors designed with new safety mechanisms”, and he called on his government to speed up its examination of “every possible measure”.
“In order to overcome our imminent crisis of a power supply crunch, we must take our utmost steps to mobilise all possible policies in the coming years and prepare for any emergency,” Kishida said.
Economy and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told reporters the government will “consider all options regarding nuclear power”. “It is extremely important to secure all options to redesign a stable energy supply for our country,” he said.
Anti-nuclear sentiment and safety concerns rose sharply in Japan after the Fukushima disaster, but the government has been pushing for a return to nuclear energy amid worries of power shortages following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Most of Japan’s nuclear power plants were taken off line following the Fukushima accident for safety checks under tightened standards. –Agencies
