Japan Press Weekly

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2019 February 13 - 19 [POLITICS]

JCP Kasai criticizes Abe for clinging to failed policy to promote nuclear power plant exports

Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Kasai Akira on February 13 at a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting criticized Prime Minister Abe Shinzo for stubbornly clinging to his policy of promoting the export of nuclear energy technology despite a series of failures in Abe-driven nuclear power-related projects overseas.

Kasai said that Hitachi on January 17 announced that it decided to freeze the plan to construct a nuclear power plant in the U.K. due to economic factors. He pointed out that PM Abe has sought to boost overseas sales of Japan’s nuclear technologies as part of his economic policies, but the construction project in the U.K. was found to have a problem with profitability in the first place.

Kasai cited the fact that after PM Abe assumed office in 2012, Abe allowed a total of 5,000 officials from 979 companies to accompany him on his official trips overseas. The government set a goal of increasing the amount of orders for overseas nuclear power plant construction to two trillion yen by 2020. However, Kasai said, it turned out to be just “a pipe dream”.

In response, PM Abe still said that Japan will fulfil its responsibility to promote the peaceful use of nuclear power. Kasai refuted Abe, saying that the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster has yet to be brought under control and many Fukushima victims are still forced to keep away from their hometowns. Given this situation, he insisted, it is “ethically unacceptable” for Japan to increase the export of nuclear power plants.

Kasai took up the International Energy Agency’s estimate of the energy market in 2040. This estimate, which was made under the assumption that the targets of the Paris climate agreement were achieved, suggests that compared to 2017, the renewable energy market will expand by 180 trillion yen, whereas the nuclear power market will expand by 20 trillion yen. Kasai said, “This clearly shows the direction the world is heading in. Japan must change its mindset, otherwise it will be further left behind other countries.”

Past related articles:
> Hitachi decides to 'freeze' nuclear power plant project in Wales [January 18, 2019]
> Abe-driven shipment of NPP projects to overseas flounders [December 18, 2018]