Japan should consider building new nuclear power plants, prime minister Fumio Kushida said on Wednesday.
This could be a controversial policy shift after the nation suspended many of its nuclear plants in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
But Mr Kishida said the Ukraine war and soaring energy costs highlighted the need for diversifying energy sources.
He added that nuclear power may be needed to meet Japan's target of going carbon neutral by 2050.
Aside from considering building next-generation nuclear reactors, the government will also look to restart existing plants that are currently offline and extend their lifespans, Mr Kishida said at an energy policy meeting.
GR
FR
DE
ES
IT
RU
EU
Japan will restart more idled nuclear plants and look at developing next-generation reactors, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday, setting the stage for a major policy shift on nuclear energy a decade after the Fukushima disaster.
ReplyDeleteThe comments from Kishida - who also said the government would look at extending the lifespan of existing reactors - highlight how the Ukraine crisis and soaring energy costs have forced both a change in public opinion and a policy rethink toward nuclear power.
Japan has kept most of its nuclear plants idled in the decade since a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011 triggered a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. Quake-prone Japan also said it would build no new reactors, so a change in that policy would be a stark turnaround.
Kishida told reporters he had instructed officials to come up with concrete measures by the year end, including on "gaining the understanding of the public" on sustainable energy and nuclear power.