Following one of the worst nuclear accidents in world history, the prime minister of Japan has declared that the country is in the progress of going nuclear free.
The administration of Yoshihiko Noda had already underlined its aim to eliminate atomic power from the nation’s energy mix by 2040 earlier this month.
However, confusion arose soon after this message was delivered, when the cabinet’s trade minister revealed that two partially-built reactors could still be finished and put to work.
Prime minister Noda has looked to draw a line under the bewilderment though, stating on Friday (September 21st) that his administration had indeed made a cabinet decision on a nuclear phase-out policy.
“Japan will seek a no-nuclear society in the 2030s and will realise it,” he added.
“With an unwavering attitude, we will implement various policies based on this principle. This is a huge policy change that we have made with a genuine determination.”
Japan’s decision to phase out nuclear power stemmed from the Fukushima Accident of 2011.
A major earthquake off the east coast of the country caused a 15-metre tsunami to wash over large parts of northern Japan. This in effect disabled the power supply and cooling of three Daiichi reactors at the Fukushima power plant, with all these cores largely melting within the three days since the incident initially arose.
It took two weeks for the three reactors to become stable, with water addition, but an official “cold shutdown condition” was not announced until mid-December.
Japan is not the only country hoping to turn its back on nuclear power though. Earlier this month, it was reported that France is hoping to put more investment in its renewable energy sector.
The move has been made as the European country aims to become less dependent on nuclear power, a source which currently produces approximately 78 per cent of its electricity.
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