Japan plans to reduce dependence on nuke energy

Antara News, Fri, November 18 2011

 Japan is moving toward nuclear energy reducing era as much as possible in the medium and long term"

Nusa Dua, Bali (ANTARA News) - Noriyuki Shikata, the deputy cabinet secretary for public affairs at prime minister`s of Japan, said the country planned to reduce its dependence on nuclear energy.

"Japan is moving toward nuclear energy reducing era as much as possible in the medium and long term," Shikata said in the sidelines of the 14th ASEAN-Japan Summit at Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center (BNDCC) on Friday.

He pointed out that in the next one to two years Japan would implement a system of supply and demand reduction.

After the Fukushima nuclear reactor incident, Japan revised its current basic energy policy that will be effective until 2030, and to create a new strategy and plan in 2012 summer.

He added that the authorities in Japan would only operate as nuclear reactor after conducting a thorough examination to ensure security.

The massive magnitude 8.9 earthquake that struck near the east coast of Honshu, Japan`s main island, on March 11, 2011 unleashed a fierce tsunami claiming 15,782 lives and destroying four of six nuclear reactors.

Although the disaster happened more than seven months ago, some concerns about the dangers of radiation remains haunting the people around, and influencing the local economy.

In October 2011 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Yukiya Amano asserted that Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor was in stable condition, and that some of around 112,000 people who fled have returned to their homes.

Shikata said that before the Fukushima tragedy in March this year, 66 percent of the Japanese population supported the nuclear power plant, but after that 77 percent opposed it, which resulted in the resting of 15 nuclear reactors in the country.

Editor: Jafar M Sidik

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