Japan Press Weekly

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2012 September 19 - 25 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

Noda Cabinet postpones approving ‘zero’-nuclear policy

The Noda Cabinet on September 19 stopped short of approving an innovative energy and environment strategy calling for the nation’s total departure from nuclear energy by the 2030s, apparently in response to voices from pro-nuclear Japanese business circles and the U.S. government.

The strategy was compiled by the government’s Energy and Environment Council on September 14.

On the previous day, Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) Chairman Yonekura Hiromasa made a direct phone call to Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko and told him that he cannot agree with the non-nuclear energy policy.

On September 18, Yonekura, Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai) Chairman Hasegawa Yasuchika, and Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Okamura Tadashi hastily held a joint press conference and demanded retraction of the “zero” plan.

“A declaration of ‘zero’ nuclear power will make it difficult to secure the technology and human resources necessary for securing the safety of nuclear power generation,” Yonekura said.

He also stated that the strategy would also “seriously undermine national interests as it would bring a negative impact on relations with the United States, which has strongly promoted cooperation with Japan” in the field of non-proliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Daniel Poneman, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, at a meeting in Washington with Maehara Seiji, Democratic Party of Japan Research Committee chair, voiced deep concern over Japan’s announced policy to depart from nuclear power generation.