politics

Edano planning to visit Fukui to explain gov't stance on restarting reactors

18 Comments

Economy, Industry and Trade Minister Yukio Edano is planning to visit Fukui Prefecture on Friday to explain the government's stance on restarting two reactors at the Oi nuclear plant. However, his visit may be delayed, depending on when and if North Korea launches its rocket.

Although Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said Tuesday that local consent is not a legal requirement for restarting the reactors, the prime minister also assured local governments and the public that the government will take their opinions into account before making a final decision.

Edano has scheduled meetimgs with Fukui Gov Issei Nishikawa and Oi Mayor Shinobu Tokioka.

On Thursday, Noda, Edano, Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura and Environment Minister Goshi Hosono met for a 5th time to discuss the Oi reactors, Fuji TV reported. Fujimura told a news conference that although the Oi plant's safety standards basically conform to the government's new requirements, the four ministers decided to put off a final decision on when to restart the reactors.

Meanwhile, Kyoto Gov Keiji Yamada and Shiga Gov Yukiko Kada on Thursday visited the Oi plant to see for themselves the level of safety precautions at the nuclear plant. Parts of both prefectures lie within 30 kilometers of the Oi plant.

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18 Comments
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I can guess the content of his speech:

"People of Fukui and surrounding prefectures like Osaka, please sacrifice your safety so that I look good and my corporate fat cat friends can put of putting the necessary safety precautions into place as long as possible. I also like to run my airconditioner all night, so your safety is less important than my comfort. Dozo yoroshiku onegaishimasu."

7 ( +7 / -0 )

@Frungy: I live in Fukui and I welcome the sacrifice for the good of the country. I only ask they they do their job and put responsible people in charge who to job their job.

-10 ( +3 / -14 )

"who job their job" ??? ->>> do their job.

-10 ( +2 / -12 )

why would anyone thumb down me? Its MY CHOICE! I am willing to make a sacrifice. Whether nuke power is good or bad JAPAN NEEDS it for the time being. I am willing to accept this and not whine and bellyache about it. YEAH THUMB DOWN. I am sorry I do not beleive in magic. Japan has spent serverl trillion yen building these and setting up a the current power gride. Japan economy was never set up to support a NON-nuclear power system. It will take time, a lot of time to change this. It will change. In the meantime I am trying to be a DECENT human and accept what has to be done for the great good of the country. I guess that is why I get thumbs down. I am all for green power, but it isnt going to happen over night. We need power in the mean time, and Japan's economy can not continue to import OIL/COAL/LGP at its current rate to supplement the switched off reactors. I think it we need to accept reality. Japan needs power. For now Nulcear is cheaper, but we need to put responsible people in charge. Make changes that need to be made. THUMBS DOWN FOR RESPONSIBILITY is that it? basically by thumbing me down you are thumbing up China's econicm growth and dominance over asia and the collapse of Japans economy because of the increases trade defeict due to the increasing imports of energy fuels.

-11 ( +3 / -14 )

Edano is simply going there to "expect their cooperation and understanding" and to explain how NPPs pose no harm or threat to humans, and that it's the cheapest and safest form of energy. He'll probably have a large brown envelope with him to 'help convince' the Fukui governor it's in his best interest to restart the reactors.

Any respect I had once for Edano was lost quite some time ago, but he just seems to be getting more and more pathetic and see through.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I think it we need to accept reality. Japan needs power. For now Nulcear is cheaper, but we need to put responsible people in charge

Japan needs nukes but not only because they are cheaper. It's because they don't produce carbon pollution. Definitely agree they need to pay attention to safety.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

"why would anyone thumb down me?" @RobertDykes. I don't know why so many people thumbed you down, either. You comments seemed rational and I especially agree with your point that "I am all for green power, but it isnt going to happen over night. We need power in the mean time, and Japan's economy can not continue to import OIL/COAL/LGP at its current rate to supplement the switched off reactors." That's only telling the truth...which may be the problem!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Will he actually have the gull to say that everything is "safe"?

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Edano opposes nuclear power energy in the long run.

Today at a House of Representative committee, Edano said, "I would like to break away from the reliance on nuclear plants and reduce dependence to zero as promptly as possible. The government has a clear policy of making maximum efforts to break away from dependence on nuclear plants."

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20120413p2g00m0dm085000c.html

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Great. Just don't support nukpwr now and say you don't support it "in the long run". Newsflash: We are in the long run NOW.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Robert DykesApr. 13, 2012 - 10:18AM JST why would anyone thumb down me? Its MY CHOICE! I am willing to make a sacrifice.

You are not the only person living in Fukui, or near Fukui. You may be prepared to accept the risk, but I do not. Neither do I accept the risk it poses to my wife, daughter or others.

I'm not opposed to nuclear power, I'm simply opposed to them rushing this. If they kept the reactor shut down for another month or two it would be much faster and easier to make the safety improvements than to try and implement them while the reactor was up and running. They could be done before the summer power demand spiked, and I wouldn't oppose them restarting the reactor at that time.

However, I distrust politicians when they "promise" that the safety upgrades will be made over the next 3 years, because they almost never keep their word, especially when they're safely on the other side of the country. Make the upgrades, and THEN we'll talk.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Oh Edano, please step down. With all the flip flopping, the lies, the deceit...

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

@Robert Dykes

I was hoping you would answer to my questions to you in previous article about Oi NPPs. Since you didn’t answer but still posing basically the same comment again, I would like to ask you again hoping you would answer.

Whether nuke power is good or bad JAPAN NEEDS it for the time being.

There are other options to go through this summer without any NPPs as some experts say. I post news articles and experts comments available in English. (There are some more written in Japanese) I understand pumped storage hydro power is controversial issue. With the calculation based on data provided by Kepco, Asahi Shimbun and Prof. Takano of Nagoya uni explain it would work. Would it be at least worth making an effort to try those other options?

“Koide Hiroaki (assistant professor of Kyoto University)”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTx942kwh94

“Predictions of summer power shortages may be inaccurate” by Asahi Shimbun

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/AJ201204070047

“Sharing excess power could avert summer supply crisis” by Asahi Shimbun

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201204100065

Japan economy was never set up to support a NON-nuclear power system.

True, and don’t you think it’s time to change after we saw what happened in Fukushima NPPs?

It will take time, a lot of time to change this. It will change. In the meantime I am trying to be a DECENT human and accept what has to be done for the great good of the country.

I agree with you there. I would try to be a decent human and accept what has to be done for the great good of the country. That’s why I have been trying to get information how we can go through this summer without any NPPs and possibly breaking away from the reliance on nuclear plants and reduce dependence to zero as Edano said at a House of Representative committee today.

I am all for green power, but it isnt going to happen over night. We need power in the mean time,

I agree. We need power in the mean time. So again, why don’t we try other options I posted above?

and Japan's economy can not continue to import OIL/COAL/LGP at its current rate to supplement the switched off reactors

I don’t know much about current rate of OIL/COAL/LGP. Please explain and educate me more. What would go worse than 3.5 trillion yen financial aid from tax payers money and 100,000 Fukushima residents forced to live in temporary houses by receiving 300,000 yen/month (each household) from tax payers money in case of severe accident?

Interest in shale gas is on the rise in Japan. LNG projects based on shale gas have been proposed to partially meet Japan’s LNG needs. Import of shale gas from the U.S. could lower the electricity bill in Japan if we could buy it in low price like Korea does under FTA agreement with the U.S. Japan does not have FTA agreement with the U.S., but TPP. Would it be difficult with TPP? If so, please tell me why.

http://nippon.com/en/in-depth/a00303/

There are also a number of IPP: Independent Power Producer, such as Sumitomo Kinzoku Co., Osaka gas, Kanden Plant Co., …and many others. Those producers would help providing more electricity throughout the country, not much maybe but not zero either.

http://www.shikoku.meti.go.jp/soshiki/skh_d6/9_info/top/e-arekore.htm

I think it we need to accept reality.

I agree that we need to accept reality including what happened in Fukushima: 100,000 refugees from Fukushima prefecture, food is contaminated in wide area, incompetent government risk management…and a lot of reality has come out after 3.11 nuclear disaster.

we need to put responsible people in charge.

I agree and we don’t have any nuclear regulatory organization functioning. The government was forced to abandon plans to replace NISA with the new agency on April. NISA failed to prevent the accident in Fukushima NPPs. The government ignores NSC (Haruki Madarame, chairman of the NSC, said the first-stage “stress tests” at nuclear reactors were insufficient to determine their overall safety. The results of the first-stage and second-stage should be looked at together in one package.” Chief Cabinet Secretary Fujimura said, “Madarame's comment is not in conflict with the government’s policy that determines the restart based on the assessment of the results of the first-stage check.” Do you still think it is ok to restart NPPs without any regulatory agencies?

Make changes that need to be made.

Yes. There are several changes need to be made.

*Oi NPPs need to set up vent systems with filters attached in order to reduce the risk of the release of radioactive substances in the event of a sever nuclear accident.

*Oi NPPs need to set up免震重要塔earthquake-proof accident management facilities. (even Fukushima NPPs has it and it was/is a very important facility for all the workers’ protection and communication with outside)

*Oi NPPs need permanent electricity generation systems for emergencies.

All these three above are the ones on the timetable of 30 safety measures required by the government. They don’t have them yet. Edano said Oi NPPs are “more or less safe”, and also said in case of severe accident, the government would take full responsibilities. How are they going to take responsibilities? Tax payers money again?

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20120409p2g00m0dm068000c.html

*Edano is planning to visit Fukui and explain gov't stance on restarting reactors. Fukui is the only local? I would say the whole Japan should be the local or maybe overseas, too. But local should be at least within 100km radius of the Oi plant including Shiga, Kyoto, Hyogo, Gifu, Nara, Osaka, and Mie prefectures. (Part of Chiba prefecture, Kashiwa, Nagareyama, Abiko, Kamagaya, 270km away from Fukushima plants, are seriously affected by the radiation.) Lake Biwa could be contaminated when a nuclear accident would occur at the plant. The whole region of Kansai is dependent on this biggest lake of Japan because it is the source of drinking water for the whole region.

THUMBS DOWN FOR RESPONSIBILITY is that it?

What you are saying is that energy shortage would cause enormous damage to the economy. I understand that. My question is how enormous it will be. Will it be worse than 3.5 trillion yen financial aid to power companies with 100,000 refugees in case of accident? Please explain more in detail. If you answer some of my questions and your explanation is convincing, I might change my mind and thumbs up for you.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@RobertDykes

You write like a shill.......

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Will Edano be wearing a post-3/11 blue jump-suit uniform, complete with straight-out-of-the-box unpressed creases?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The government has other pressing issues to be concerned about besides whether the nuclear plants are started up again. Things like a stagnant economy. While Japan has been able to offset the loss of the reactors with increased output from oil and LNG power plants, reports say that this Summer will feature the return of rolling blackouts (last Summer there were still reactors helping to provide power). A stagnant economy does NOT get helped by forcing industries to shut down more often than they're used to. Everybody hates the reactors, but until they can get alternatives up and running, they are going to be a ecessary evil.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

*necessary evil.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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