japan nuclear

The Fukushima crisis sparked protests and prompted a move away from nuclear energy for JapanBelow is an essay I co-wrote with one of my current Ph.D. students, Sanghuyn Hong. In it, we take a critical look at the current national energy policy of Japan, and highlight the unfortunate implications of a strategy that preferences fossil...[read more]

The Japanese government, which had announced a gradual phase-out of nuclear power by 2040, reversed that position and will instead develop an energy policy “with flexibility, based on tireless verification and re-examination.” The country was faced with the difficulty of replacing the 30% of electricity it gets from nuclear energy, and altering an existing strategy that would have seen that number rise to 50%.[read more]

The Cabinet hits the brakes on a formal policy to phase out all nuclear reactors in 30 years.Hiromasa Yonekura, Chairman of the Keidanren business lobby (L) in happier days shaking hands with Japan Prime MInister Yoshihiko Noda (R) at a Asian trade conference in 2011The Japanese government bowed to pressure from the country’s largest...[read more]

Political expediency seems to be the motivation in Japan, but the picture is less clear in France Last Friday Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda appeared to bow to overwhelming anti-nuclear sentiment in his country in an effort to save his party's fortunes in the upcoming elections later this fall. But Japan will operate its current...[read more]

Photo credit: Gregor WolfGlobal production of nuclear energy is expected to grow significantly in future years, despite setbacks in Japan and Germany, as China and the United States eyes next-generation reactors. Worldwide nuclear electricity generating capacity is expected to increase between 44 percent and 99 percent by 2035, the...[read more]

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One of our fathers had a sign in his garage: “If you don’t have time now to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?”That line comes to mind with the latest energy news from Japan, which is embarking on a massive switch in its energy policy, on the fly.Once the proud operator of 52 commercial nuclear reactors, as of Saturday...[read more]

A top Indian scientist and government advisor, backed by more than 50 prominent figures, has called for a moratorium on all future nuclear projects following the nuclear crisis in tsunami-hit Japan. Dr. P. Balaram's call marks the first direct appeal from within government circles for a temporary stop to nuclear power plans and production and comes a day after prime minister Manmohan Singh sought more transparency, accountability and transparency from the Indian nuclear establishment.[read more]