Japan Press Weekly

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2013 May 8 - 14 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

Abe cabinet helps to export Japan’s nuclear power technology abroad

To promote the sale of Japan’s nuclear power generation technologies, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and his cabinet members have visited Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and South America together with representatives of the corporate sector.

During the Japanese Golden Week holidays from the end of April to the beginning of May, 13 out of the 19 members of the Abe Cabinet made such visits, accompanied by executives of trading companies, manufacturers, and banks.

In the United Arab Emirates, Prime Minister Abe concluded Japan’s first nuclear energy agreement since the outbreak of Fukushima nuclear accident in order to export Japanese technologies related to nuclear power generation.

Abe concluded the same agreement with Turkey, where he stated, “Japan would like to cooperate with Turkey with the Japanese quake-proof technology which meets the world’s highest safety standards.”

Trade Minister Motegi Toshimitsu visited Brazil to promote Japanese corporations to win bids for the construction of nuclear power stations in the country. During his visit, the Japanese government hosted an “investment seminar” which involved representatives of 30 Japanese companies, including nuclear industry leaders Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Hitachi, and Toshiba.

In India, Deputy Prime Minister Aso Taro came to an agreement with Indian Prime Minister Singh to resume bilateral negotiations for a nuclear energy agreement which had been suspended since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident.

Business circles have demanded that government ministers go abroad to find a market for Japanese products. The Japan Business Federation, in its statement published in April, suggested that corporate representatives accompany cabinet members on foreign tours to jointly promote the sales of Japan’s advanced technologies.

Prime Minister Abe’s tours to promote Japanese nuclear power generation and infrastructure involved about 200 people representing more than 110 Japanese major companies.