Japan Press Weekly

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2014 January 29 - February 4 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

Electric companies urge LDP members to promote nuclear power

The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan (FEPC) has distributed to ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers a statement urging them to promote nuclear power generation, Akahata reported on February 1.

The statement demands that the government designate nuclear power as the key power source in its energy policy, announce construction of new nuclear power plants, accelerate procedures for reactivation of idled nuclear reactors, and promote nuclear fuel-cycle projects.

The LDP in January surveyed its parliamentarians’ opinions on a draft basic energy plan, which was compiled by the Industry Ministry’s panel in December. The FEPC’s statement is regarded as a “handbook” telling them how to answer the survey.

In response to Akahata’s inquiry, the FEPC declined to give any response.

An LDP lawmaker said, “The statement is only a part (of the FEPC’s political intervention). One of my colleagues was told to go to an electric company’s head office, where he was threatened with an end to support for him in elections.”