80% in Japan support nuclear phase-out

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  • 11

    sunhawk

    i'm in favor of nuclear power. i think we should phase out under regulated, incompetent greedy old man ran power utilities.

  • -2

    some14some

    only 80%? no meaning unless Govt and corporate businesses also vote against use of nuclear power and make it 100% !

  • 3

    Shumatsu_Samurai

    But 53% would allow idled nuclear reactors to be restarted as far as electricity demand required as a realistic short-term approach

    So whilst 80% of people would like to be rid of nuclear power, a majority qualify that by wanting something to come along to replace it (that doubtlessly wouldn't cost them more) first. In the meantime they'll stay with nuclear power, whilst formally disapproving of it.

  • 0

    soldave

    Shumatsu_Samurai - You've hit the nail on the head there.

  • -5

    gyouza

    @shumatsu_samurai - agreed, and the recent JT poll on whether Japan COULD last the Summer without nuclear power resulted in the largest number of votes for "No" @ 48%, with 41% saying "Yes" and 11% undecided.

    I also think Sunhawk is right in that making it safe should be a priority so that we have the option of available electricity in some form. Alternate forms should be promoted so we never depend on one source. Moreover, I still believe that there are unknown effects of implementing energy generation from "renewable" sources. Installing enough wind turbines to power a city would have an effect on the wind itself (zero sum game - if you are using the energy in the wind, you take it FROM the wind and change it to electricity, so the wind has less power after), and the effects on weather patterns and climate don't seem to have been well documented. Same for tidal generation, and geo-thermal, less so for solar I think. We all believe these sources are free and ready to be consumed, just like we thought oil and gas was "ours".

    I often think we have become too sophisticated for our planet to sustain us, and our apetite for consuming natural resources will become our undoing!

    Jeez, what a dark post, sorry!

  • -2

    tamanegi

    Polls mean nothing here

  • 0

    Hide Suzuki

    Makes sense. Most people want to be free from nuclear energy eventually but also anyone with a brain knows we can't suddently get rid of it over night.

  • 2

    marcelito

    I don,t see any contradictions with the public,s view expressed here...People wanna get rid of nuclear power plants long term but realistically accept that it can not happen overnight..So they are willing to accept the NPP,s ( with their safety improved - hopefully ) in the meantime whilst the alternative power generation sources are being developed and built....sounds like a pretty level headed way of thinking to me. @Gyouza - While there might be a possibility of some "unknown " effects with alternatives , for me the "known" effects of the nuclear power generation as evidenced by Chernobyl and Fukushima are way worse. As someone who was affected quite personally by the events last March ( gosh - still have them blue sheets on my roof ) my view might be different from somebody living a comfortable distance away from Fukushima. I dare suggest people,s views would change rapidly if they lived closer to an aged NPP. I agree with you however that human,s appetite for natural resources does present huge challenges .. A famous line from "Matrix" comes to mind...

  • 12

    zichi

    The future of energy and power generation isnt nuclear,its nanotechnology which will produce power from clean energies and will remove the need to have the massive power companies and their massive power plants. Japan has an opportunity to become a world leader with nanotechnology.

  • 1

    Scrote

    Give it another year or two and the government will be seeking the "understanding" of local communities as it restarts its nuclear power station building program. The 80% of Japanese who claim to support a phase-out will do nothing at all to stop it.

  • 0

    NetNinja

    When it comes to any business or industry there's one thing that companies absolutely love. That's customer ignorance. Not knowing that you have alternatives is a legal monopoly. Buying politicians and setting up city ordinances that forbid the use of alternatives is a key factor in controlling the industry.

    Your house can't have this, your backyard can't have that. Okay what can I do?

    You can sign up with TEPCO to get energy to your home. You HAVE to contact NTT for your broadband cause they control this region.

    There are so many alternatives it's ridiculous. You don't have to use power for all our mobile devices. There are countless way to cut the energy demand.

    The fact is this. I bunch of old energy techs, don't want you excusing yourself from their table. You have to eat what they feed you and you better eat it all. That's all it is.

  • 0

    cactusJack

    Nuclear power isn't so bad....but to place them on faults and in areas with potentially huge earthquakes? That is where the mistake lies.

  • 0

    Seavey

    I promise you that the obvious direction indicated by an 80 percent majority in any democracy will not be taken...simply because Japan is not a democracy.

    Anyway, thorium, thorium, thorium.

  • 0

    Vast Right-Wing Conspirator

    Ask them if they ALSO want to phase out their air conditioners, all night convenience stores, and gayly lit entertainment districts. Or, if they would rather replace nuclear energy with /sarcasm/ lovely, convenient gas turbines/coal/diesel generators /endsarcasm/.

  • 2

    Riffraff

    The problem in Japan is not with nuclear power, it is with the JG regulation of the industry that builds and operates the nuclear plants. The irregularities and corruption that has turned up under close scrutiny as a result of the Fukushima disaster, just begs the question of what else is being hidden in Japans industry regulation. The JG’s inept and continuously bungled reaction to Fukushima has falsely focused the fault on nuclear power itself instead of the real problem.

  • 2

    nahaman

    The solar electric dealers now offer financing for installations that basically cost the homeowner nothing after selling power back to the utility (around ten years in Okinawa, probably longer on the mainland). Government and the power companies can make the subsidies a little better at minimal cost compared to all the rest, to sweeten the deal to the point where it makes no sense not to have them on the roof. Apartments are a different situation, but there is potential for using PVs in new construction. PS - Hydropower has large ecological blowbacks but I seriously doubt that wind turbines will deplete wind power!

  • 0

    Spidey

    Too bad that 80pct will never stand up to the .01pct that control this country. So sad really.

    S

  • 6

    zichi

    The government needs to reintroduce the grants for installing solar power.

  • 2

    delrennich

    Would be great to see Japan become a green energy nation. Solar, wind, geothermal. Get the diesel dump trucks off the road too. they are the bullies of the roads.

  • -1

    Johannes Weber

    Yeah, Japan has no choice but to keep investing into nuclear. They'll need at least one further wast processing facility like Rokkasho, even if they quit nuclear power asap (this can be inferred from the reprocessing capacity and the amount of nuclear waste). Which will probably cost another 10 trillion yen taxpayer money (in total). Oh and then there's waste storage - keep this problem as an "exercise for future generations".

    And depleting the power of the wind - or the sun - it will take an awful lot of power plants to accomplish that. Not enough planet surface available, probably. Wind power (and hydro) are the cheapest energy sources around. No fuel costs, no back-end costs. However, it is the exact opposite of the credit mentality of our times. Pay now and enjoy later is completely against the mood of 20th century fossiles.

    A nuclear phaseout in about 10 to 15 years is possible. And energy (the full cost) will become cheaper thanks to renewables (since the prices of other technologies increase).

  • 0

    Vast Right-Wing Conspirator

    Zichi, if solar power was the way to go, there would be NO need for government grants.

  • 1

    Tomasz Stasinski

    Call me crazy, but to 'phase out' doesn't mean to quit cold turkey like it's being done right now. I'm all in favour of phasing out nuclear power by, let's say, 2020 (or a more realistic date when it actually can be replaced by another, safer source of energy), but not by this summer. Nuclear power plants supplied nearly 30% of the total power consumption in Japan and the missing quota will not magically appear out of nothing. Partly because Japan relied on nuclear energy too much and neglected developing other sources of energy, and partly because there's no such technology right now that could feasibly tap into clean energy at the required scale.

  • -1

    Wurthington

    80% support a phase-out.... the people have spoken. But will politicians listen?

  • -2

    Vast Right-Wing Conspirator

    Harper; they can be "encouraged" by private companies offering quality products. They don't need to be "encouraged" by getting money from their neighbors' pockets, courtesy of a government bureaucracy.

  • 0

    marcelito

    @ VRWC - Exactly the same thing could be said for nuclear.

  • 0

    Bruce Allen Schofield

    Just a question.... Has anyone else heard the news of power shortages this summer? Currently, while most of the nuclear power plants are off line the power companies are ruining gas powered plants.

    What happens IF we do take the power plants totally OFF LINE and run only gas and sure we can get some solar power, as well as wind and I nearly forgot the hydro electric power.

    If you think Japan can make it without nuclear power in the long run when gas power is no longer an option then what?

  • -2

    Vast Right-Wing Conspirator

    Marcel, I agree completely. Gov't subsidies for private companies are ridiculous. Let the consumer reign. The only role for gov't should be safety and environmental control. Nuclear power is a very viable source of energy until the technology of renewable power catches up with demand.

  • -3

    It"S ME

    I think a steady phase-out is the best option.

    Even if the reactors are not switched on again it will take 5-10 yrs minimum to dismantle them, till than things can still go wrong with them. The radioactive fuel is still there and still needs to be cooled till removal.

    Same way alternate power-plants to replace the nuclear & gas ones will also take 5+yrs to be build.

    No short-term solution, as for power-shortages possibility this summer that was already announced nearly a year ago. So no surprises there.

  • 2

    zichi

    Since 1974, the nuclear industry has received ¥trillions in government grants and subsidies.

  • 2

    zichi

    the_harper

    the price of solar panels is dropping but still too high for most people. With nanotechnology panels could produce ten times the power but would be smaller in physical size and therefore cheaper than the current method.

  • 3

    zichi

    It"S ME

    Even if the reactors are not switched on again it will take 5-10 yrs minimum to dismantle them

    It takes more than 20 to 30 years to decommission a nuclear plant. In the UK they just shut down one of the oldest plants. The government have said it will take 90 years to decommission it.

  • -1

    nisegaijin

    So what would they prefer instead? Coal? Middle Eastern Oil? Russian Gas? Sounds like nuclear power is the lesser of all evils.

  • 4

    zichi

    Prior to the nuclear disaster, nuclear energy produce about 25% of total power which required 18 power plants and 54 reactors with 34 of them running. 100% of power would require 200+ reactors.

  • 0

    marcelito

    "Nuclear power - the lesser of all evils"?...Sorry but most of us living in North Kanto or Tohoku would disagree with that very strongly...Something like that is easily said from a safe distance mate..

  • 0

    Zen student

    Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. The gov't needs to invest more and more in renewable energies, nanotechnology perhaps as zichi mentioned, and gradually phase out the nuclear stuff as R&D develops. I understand that stopping it overnight might not be feasible so gradual phase-out is the best option it seems.

    Now, if 80% is an accurate reflection of how the whole nation feels, then this is going to be a real litmus test for Japanese democracy. Will the gov't listen to what the people want? I hope the optimist part of me is right in assuming the answer is yes! The ball is in the gov't's court now.

  • 1

    Blair Herron

    I promise you that the obvious direction indicated by an 80 percent majority in any democracy will not be taken...

    True. That's what the government said last Friday. They decided that as a general rule, it will seek approval to restart nuclear reactors from local communities 10km of those facilities.

    http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20120316D1603A20.htm

    Iitate-mura which is 40km from Fukushima NNP has been highly contaminated and designated as evacuation zone now. But these people’ voices won’t be heard because they don’t live within 10km zone.

  • 0

    Janis Murniesks

    About nuclear power plants for its reader strange that Japan is even using nuclear energy while it is the cantry with roof saismik activity even more the salvation come from it Island is similar tu Japan and the harvest the energy from geothermal energy Japan have the same path tu walk more tu that geothermal energy is even more powerful then nuclear power plants and Japan kan simple harvest it so ther is an alternative way to go

  • 1

    gyouza

    And depleting the power of the wind - or the sun - it will take an awful lot of power plants to accomplish that.

    Agreed, but how many would have an "effect", and what would that effect be? I'm certainly not saying don't do it, but we humans are fantastic at screwing up the incredible balancing act called Nature!

  • -3

    It"S ME

    Talking about Iceland is good and interesting but lets not forget that they got a rather small population.

    The population of Iceland on January 1st 2011 is approximately 299,189.

    Things don't scale that easy to a population of 127,218,889.

  • -1

    Hôjô Sôun

    survey published by the Tokyo Shimbun

    That's not really a reputable source, given their political leanings.

    There's bound to be an emotional, knee jerk reaction against nuclear power given the circumstances. Give it time to abate, educate the people about the alternatives to nuclear power (coal and oil), then wait for them to come to their senses.

  • -1

    Disillusioned

    The irony! Japan spent the last half a century setting up nuclear power and now will spend the next half century getting rid of it. The term 'Lemmings' spring to mind.

  • -1

    sillygirl

    80 percent of the three thousand polled is hardly 80 percent of japanese

  • 4

    zichi

    The population of Iceland on January 1st 2011 is approximately 299,189.

    They have set the standard and just like Iceland every community of 299,189 people in Japan could be getting 100% power from renewable energies. Just need to start thinking outside of the box, or the power point?

  • 2

    hereandthere

    80 percent of 3000 voters... yep, that's about everyone in Japan.

  • -1

    sillygirl

    @hereandthere - hahaha that is funny - sad but funny.

  • -2

    JacopoMTK

    Japan without nuclear tecnology...They should discover another power source then...how can a nation with so much power need live without nuclear plants?

  • -4

    greenlight

    Shutting down nuclear means Japan will eventually end up becoming dependent on North and South Korea (nuclear is being replaced by Natural Gas, and Russia, the biggest supplier, is currently working on a pipeline through the koreas).

    They'll never let that happen.

  • 2

    Dotakun

    this article should have been called '70% of Japanese in favor of keeping nuclear energy for the mid-term'

  • -1

    Seavey

    80 percent of the three thousand polled is hardly 80 percent of japanese

    In college I learned that a random poll of 3000 people is a reliable indicator of the opinion of a country. I strongly recommend college.

  • 2

    zichi

    For decades, Big Power has spoon fed us how much we need them and their huge plants whether it's nuclear, coal gas or oil.

    With new technologies and emerging technologies it's now possible not only to be master of your own home, but also master of your own energy.

    All your mobile devices charged from your shoes. Cars that never need to be filled with over price gas.

    Big Power has made ¥trillions from their monopoly and will fight tooth and nail to defend their position. They will tell us how these new technologies won't work or can't compete with their prices.

  • -2

    Elbuda Mexicano

    I thank Alladin is confusing Japan with the DPRK?? China??

  • -3

    Hikozaemon

    I'll happily accept open coal fires and hamsters running on wheels as substitutes if it gets rid of those plants that Japan does not need, the Japanese government cannot competently supervise, and that mother nature appears to have mistaken for bowling pins...

  • 2

    nahaman

    I take your point but suspect you've not lived around coal fires.

  • 0

    Hôjô Sôun

    Zichi,

    To be totally honest, I don't think any of those new technologies will actually work. And they will be way too expensive. It's best for us to stick with what we have.

  • -2

    pranavk

    ****Our LIFE AND OUR GENERATIONS ARE MOST EXPENSIVE_-MOST VALUABLE THAN ANY THING else.-,for nuclear power plat there is no 'swithch off' switch,when no control in man's hand -no need to switch on.There are nano tech and also Hydrogen gen.technology, proper research should be done to develope new alternative tech.But ifif indegeneous tech. will be developed and accepted who will feed the western countris.WE have to decide whether wewant to continue on this beautiful eath for generations or after 3-4 more disasters , we want to put full-stop to our generations???

  • 0

    Fadamor

    I'm generally "pro-nuclear power" and normally I'd pass on poll results as they are usually less lopsided than this. However, given the situation in Japan for the past year I could easily believe the 80% figure. This is one poll the politicians should probably make note of. If that much of a majority doesn't want to rely on nuclear power, then their wishes should be heeded. Phase it out as quickly as alternative sources can be built and/or brought up to speed.

  • 1

    zichi

    Hojo Soun They are already working and being produced.

  • 1

    waltery

    I'm in the 20%. If Japan wants to keep its place in the world economy then there is no alternative in the foreseeable future. Greece has no industries, if Japan loose it's then that's where it's headed.

  • 1

    wtfjapan

    god most people have N,F idea, to replace nuclear with all renewables will be astronomically expensive,renewable just cannot cover the base load power on its own, coal gas oil will do more damgage to the enviroment over the long term than nuclear ever will, with the price of electricity already high compared to other countries, making it more expensive will just make Japan even less competitive, more jobs will move offshore more unemployed & elderly less employed/companies means higher tax burden on the people/companies that are left. snowball effect. PS get of the boat before it sinks

  • 1

    Fadamor

    renewable just cannot cover the base load power on its own,

    Geothermal can. Depending on where they drill, they may not have to go that deep to get hot enough bedrock. Still going to be expensive, though nowhere near the cost it's going to take to clean-up Fukushima Daichi. and the surrounding area.

  • -2

    peanut666

    Geothermal and wind are probably Japan's only true option. If they use fossil fuels, the costs would be extremely expensive as well as the resulting heath injuries. Coal, oil, gas generated electricity has caused more injuries and deaths than all the nuclear power plant accidents in the entire world combined. The Japanese people need to know that. Solar is too expensive doesn't produce enough power and electrical storage technology is not well developed. Plus the fabrication of solar cells itself contaminates the environment and negates it's "greenness" but it is still a developing technology. Wind has the capacity for generating lots of power but again it is intermittent. If Japan replaces it's nuclear power plants, I believe the immediate general solution would be geothermal (proven, cost effective, and has the potential for generating large capacities) as well as wind generation; solar would be excellent for localized deployment (schools, homes, small companies). Tidal electrical generation is still in its infancy, but should be investigated. For now however, nuclear plants are the cheapest and cleanest way of generating massive amounts of electricity, but if the people don't mind playing 45% more for their electricity, they should investigate geothermal and wind for overall generation, solar for localized supplementation, and look to tidal generation for the future. Of course each will present it's own environmental challenges, but if Japan is serious, then can do it.

  • -1

    TheBigPicture

    The people have spoken. And nuclear has failed. So, close the remaining reactors, and get busy on wind and solar.

  • 0

    noriyosan73

    Apparently 80% of the population does not work in offices and business that are designed for air conditioning or use subways, trains or buses to go to work. Is that true? The hottest summer will occur this summer. Be prepared.

  • 1

    Rick Kisa

    The future of energy and power generation isnt nuclear,its nanotechnology which will produce power from clean energies and will remove the need to have the massive power companies and their massive power plants. Japan has an opportunity to become a world leader with nanotechnology.

    This is the type of thinking missing in the energy discourse and which, Japan government should tap. If i was japanese prime minister, I would invite this guy to lunch!

  • -1

    bajhista65

    GO..GO...GO.... Japan...phase out all Nuke Plants.

  • 0

    Mike Bird

    What I can't work out is why Geothermal energy only accounts for 0.1% on Japans energy production? There is a huge 'free' natural resource under peoples feet waiting to be used (just count the number of hot springs in the country!), yet successive Japanese governments have favoured expensive nuclear power stations as the future instead? Seems crazy! It's not just Electricity generation, for instance in Iceland a 87% of building are Geothermally heated.

  • -1

    peanut666

    TheBigPictureMar. 20, 2012 - 06:41AM JST The people have spoken. And nuclear has failed. So, close the remaining reactors, and get busy on wind and solar.

    Nope. Nuclear hasn't failed. 70% of France gets it's electricity from Nuclear. The FACT is that if Japan is entirely covered with windmills and solar it still cannot produce Japan's CURRENT electrical needs. Thus it is the alternative energy production that fails.

    Wind and solar can only supplement. Manufacturing the actual solar cells is highly toxic and pollutes heavily so it negates whatever "green" it does.

    The ONLY two high production ALTERNATIVE ways of generating electricity in Japan is geothermal and tidal. Of the two tidal is still experimental.

  • -1

    peanut666

    If you look at Iceland, Five geothermal power plants produce approximately 26.2% of the nation's energy in 2010. In addition, geothermal heating meets the heating and hot water requirements of approximately 87% of all buildings in Iceland. Apart from geothermal energy, 73.8% of the nation’s electricity was generated by hydro power, and 0.1% from fossil fuels.

    I wish people here studied geography. Japan is a country made up of volcanic islands. Why do you think there are so many earthquakes? Use your brain and imagine this: A bunch of volcanoes rising out of the ocean spewing hot lava and solidifying into islands. That is Japan.

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