Japan Press Weekly

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2011 October 12 - 18 [LABOR]

Has Rengo switched to nonnuclear power policy?

Has the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo), known as a cooperative union, changed its direction toward a non-nuclear energy society? The answer is “Not yet.” It is totally uncertain if this labor organization will move ahead with initiatives to call for a break away from nuclear energy dependence.

Rengo Chairman Koga Nobuaki, at the union’s Regular Convention held on October 4, said that Rengo will search for ways to lower the level of nuclear dependence using a mid- and long-term perspective through securing alternative energy sources and actively promoting renewable energy and power-saving efforts. “It will eventually seek a society not depending on atomic energy,” Koga stated.

However, he added, “When it comes to an overhaul or review of our energy policy, it should not be limited to a choice between zero nuclear power and its promotion.”

He stated the need to seriously consider the resumption of the operations of suspended reactors to maintain a “stable energy supply” at present.

This remark actually echoes what Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko expressed in his policy speech delivered at the September 13 Diet meeting. Noda said, “Concerning nuclear power generation, it is unproductive to think of nuclear power in terms of a dichotomy between zero nuclear power and its promotion. In the mid- to long-term, we must aim to move in the direction of reducing our dependence on nuclear power generation as much as possible.” He then announced that he “will restart operations at nuclear power stations following regular inspections.”

PM Noda made this statement in concert with the Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai)’s call for the “resumption of operations by early next year at nuclear power plants currently under inspection.”

The Rengo chairman in essence endorsed with the present government position.

Rengo’s largest influential groups, the Federation of Electric Power Related Industry Worker’s Unions of Japan (Denryoku-soren), the Japan Federation of Basic Industry Workers’ Unions (Kikan-roren), and the Confederation of Japan Automobile Workers’ Unions (Jidosha-soren) have already moved to support the restart of idled reactors, arguing that nuclear energy has an advantage in terms of cost and stability and that an alternative to nuclear energy may be difficult to find.

For example, Denryoku-soren President Taneoka Seiichi on September 6 stated that he sees atomic power as the absolute main source of energy and that the on-going call for reducing the degree of dependence may be possible in the distant future.

Since the birth of the Democratic Party government, Rengo has fully supported the government position to be maintained and developed, sending its head Koga to join the government’s growth strategy panel. In line with the government energy policy, the DPJ’s largest support group has also adopted a policy to promote the use and the construction of more nuclear reactors.

However, after the major nuclear disaster occurred in March, it became difficult for both the government and Rengo to maintain their initial policy. They had to tone down their demand for nuclear promotion. This is the only reason for Rengo to have begun referring to the reduction in nuclear dependence.

Another major influential wing of Rengo - the All Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers Union (Jichiro) and the Japan Teachers’ Union (Nikkyoso), known for their call for a zero nuclear power society - also feel that Rengo cannot ignore public opinion as the majority of the public now wants a Japan without nuclear power stations.