Japan Press Weekly

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2012 March 21 - 27 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

‘Community of interest’ presses gov’t to rush to reactivate nuclear reactors

While the Fukushima nuclear accident is far from under control, without being fully investigated, the “community of interest” profiting from nuclear power generation is increasing its push for the early reactivation of off-line nuclear reactors.

On March 16, the policy council on energy and nuclear power generation submitted to Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko a statement demanding an early restart of nuclear reactors operations.

The head of the council is Imai Takashi, former chairman of the Japan Business Federation and current chair of the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, Inc., which includes under its umbrella electric companies, nuclear reactor manufacturers, construction companies, cement makers, and trading firms. The vice chair is Mochizuki Harufumi, former vice minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Council members include the chairs of 8 out of the 9 electric companies, and heads of three major nuclear reactor manufacturers along with Nippon Steel Corporation and Sumitomo Corporation.

Media giants are also involved in the council such as the chairman of the Yomiuri Shimbun Holdings Group, the chairs of TV Tokyo and Fuji Television, and the chief editorial writer of Sankei Shimbun.

They share a sense of crisis over the urgent call to review the government’s initial plan to build 9 nuclear reactors by 2020 and more than 14 reactors by 2030 in order to generate 40-50% of Japan’s electricity by nuclear power generation.

They argue that the utilization of nuclear power generation is a key factor in ensuring Japan’s economic growth.