Japan Press Weekly

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2011 July 13 - 19 TOP3 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

Keidanren: Restart off-line N-reactors or production will go abroad

The Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) on July 14 published a policy proposal calling for immediately resuming operations of nuclear reactors which are currently under suspension.

The proposal stresses the continued importance of “nuclear energy playing a key role as a quasi-domestically produced energy.”

The proposal argues that if suspended reactors do not resume operations, “it will be inevitable for the Japanese economy to further become hollowed out as domestic corporations will transfer their manufacturing bases abroad and cut business investments at home.”

Nippon Keidanren has been lobbying Japanese politics for a further reduction in corporate taxes, a further loosening of labor regulations, and lax CO2 cutback efforts by threatening capital flight abroad.

Another influential business group, in contrast, appears to be more supportive in gradually breaking away from nuclear energy dependence.

Chairman of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai), Hasegawa Yasuchika on July 15 said, “People are unlikely to accept construction of more nuclear power plants,” and called for moving away from nuclear reliance little by little.

Keizai Doyukai hammered out a plan focusing on the decommissioning of aged reactors and the promotion of renewable energy.

However, many business leaders, including GE Japan Chairman Fujimori Yoshiaki and Lawson (convenience store chain) President Niinami Takeshi, are cautious about the Keizai Doyukai position. They fear that Keizai Doyukai may possibly be seen as opposed to nuclear power generation.