Japan's current account surplus lowest since 1985

Business Feb. 08, 2013 - 01:27PM JST ( 11 )

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11 Comments

-3

Ewan HuzarmyFeb. 08, 2013 - 11:45AM JST

Whatever happened to 'Abenomics' ?
-9

basroilFeb. 08, 2013 - 11:57AM JST

Tokyo’s energy bills, meanwhile, have shot up after it turned to pricey fossil-fuel alternatives after switching off its nuclear reactors following the atomic crisis at Fukushima in 2011.

Shot up is an understatement. Off-peak power production prices tripled, and overall energy costs doubled. The #1 problem for any trade imbalance is energy, or the lack of it. There is nothing that can provide cheaper, safer energy than the PWR and ABWR reactors that Japan has idled, and no other way to fix the economy than to start them up.
8

zichiFeb. 08, 2013 - 12:07PM JST

There will be no reactors operating this summer since KEPCO must shut down its two Oi reactors before then.

New safety standards will be agreed by Sept but power companies will have to update their reactors before being given permission to start them. It will take more than 3-5 years to do that, and in some cases, the cost of the updating will be prohibitive and the power company will decide to decommssion those reactors.

If the NRA decides to redefine what an active fault line is, TEPCO could lose its Niigata plant and be without any nuclear power stations. TEPCO have signed a contract to import 800,000 tons of American gas which is cheaper than Middle East prices.

Mostly likely, the country could end up with 25 or less reactors only capable of generating 15-20% of total power.

The country needs a gas pipeline from Russia to Tokyo.
-3

WakarimasenFeb. 08, 2013 - 01:05PM JST

Open the reactors. Otherwise this will continue. Abe loves it as it helps weaken the yen further.
0

LostinNagoyaFeb. 08, 2013 - 01:58PM JST

Fighting against #2 economic powerhouse China over nationalism and a sea rock helps a lot.
-9

basroilFeb. 08, 2013 - 02:45PM JST

The 40GW of nuclear power that's not in any way related to current investigations would provide up to 28% of the country's energy needs (that are currently being met by oil plants). Oil costs about a hundred times as much as nuclear to produce 1kW of energy in terms money leaving the country. Japan can't afford that
-1

BertieWoosterFeb. 08, 2013 - 03:22PM JST

Now aren’t you glad to have Abe "running" the country?
2

zichiFeb. 08, 2013 - 03:39PM JST

I guess the energy crisis will be with the country for some years. PM Abe said no decision on the reactors will taken for three years.

The NRA have stated that all the reactors will need safety updates and none will be given permission to start without them.

There wil be zero nuclear energy for at least the next five years.
-7

basroilFeb. 08, 2013 - 03:58PM JST

Nobody is talking about energy crisis, that is beyond off topic! I am talking about fuel costs upsetting the account surplus!
4

zichiFeb. 08, 2013 - 04:01PM JST

The post actually mentions the energy crisis

Tokyo’s energy bills, meanwhile, have shot up after it turned to pricey fossil-fuel alternatives after switching off its nuclear reactors following the atomic crisis at Fukushima in 2011.
-1

basroilFeb. 08, 2013 - 10:15PM JST

Tokyo’s energy bills, meanwhile, have shot up

This is financial only. Costs increased.

after it turned to pricey fossil-fuel alternatives after switching off its nuclear reactors

Still no mention of energy crisis! Just states why the prices increased

following the atomic crisis at Fukushima in 2011.

We have a crisis, but a specific one not energy related!

Man some people try to take the thread off topic!