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Nobel winner Oe: Japan should follow Germany, quit nuclear power

13 Comments
By MARI YAMAGUCHI

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13 Comments
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well said!!

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

The voice of wisdom. Will they listen though? Or is the money from the lobbyists just too good?

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Great, getting advice on energy policy from a novelist.

Think I'm going to ask my Lawson clerk for his advice on improving the earthquake resistance for apartments while we're at it.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

He didn't mention the fact that Germany's energy costs to the consumer have tripled since the anti-nuclear decision. Nuclear vs other is an economic gamble; and no one knows the probability of another disaster. It may never happen again, it might happen soon and be economically devastating - no one knows. We do know that a decision to go non-nuclear will be Very costly. Whether or not that is a prudent idea; it's anyone's guess. Where power is needed, such as China, India, France - they have no intention of going non-nuclear - they can't afford to. I am not pro or con nuclear, but those proposing non-nuclear solutions should be honestly presenting the costs, which are not trivial. I feel the politicians' decisions are usually based on getting votes, not an open and honest weighing of the benefits of both scenarios. Neither conversion costs nor costs of a real nuclear disaster should be swept under the rug. Anyone who says this is a simple decision is not viewing the entire situation.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Or... maybe we can be more like France, generating 75% of electricity from nuclear. Meanwhile, Japan is the 5th largest producer of CO2, and is backing off of climate change goals. Want to know something that is actually likely to "wipe out Japan's future," Mr. Oe?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Germany is happy to buy power from France, generated by nuclear power plants...

1 ( +3 / -2 )

All is fine and well but I would like to hear Mr. Oe's suggestions about other sources of energy which can be used immediately without increasing Japan's CO2 emissions.

As karlrb wrote, the decision of going non-nuclear is a complicated one. All costs should be disclosed, the ones of cleaning after the disaster as well as those of decommissioning even the newest (just built) power plants, the building of new plants which will generate energy using alternative sources, the increased costs of power from such sources and the impact on food prices and any other commodities/goods whose production requires energy.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Well said. Remember that the anti nuclear forces in Germany were politically strong and made a decisive showing at the polls. When a conservative stronghold like Baden Wittenberg went left Merkel saw the light, and it was not lit by nuclear power.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The peoples of Japan have to be fully informed with the economic ramifications before a national debate and referendum. Nobel-winning author Kenzaburo Oe is living in cloud cuckoo land playing with the fairies, Nuclear Power stations do not possess a on/off switch, decommissioning and there are over 40, is a eye-wateringly expensive process and is measured in years. On top of this a creditable alternative energy policy fully financed that will not bankrupt business, hospitals, and families.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

A nice wish, clean, risk free, inexpensive power for all. The problem with statements like this one or the general movement to eliminate fossil fuels is the lack of a viable alternative. No there is not an alternative, solar, wind, thermal, wave devices and biofuels are all impractical, expensive and damaging as well.

After a real viable alternative is available, everyone will change to it without the need for forcing the issue.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It is funny when it is mentioned that something cannot be done because of the "cost" involved. Where does "cost" come from? From another human being on Earth who was born just like you and me. Obviously financial cost is just what someone wants it to be. How come the human cost is never considered? Although the masses make things work, they do not control the direction of society.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I hope energy policy won't be directed by liberal arts majors.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

"Nobel-winning author Kenzaburo Oe said Tuesday that Japan’s push to restart some nuclear reactors following the Fukushima disaster could lead to another crisis" - article

A bold suggestion. Sometimes a bold idea is what a nation needs, even the world needs, to make a future worth living for.

Nuclear power is too expensive, too dangerous and too vulnerable for every application of this technology. Japan is such an application of such expense, vulnerability and danger.

The unstable reality, if Japan does not start to build a non-Nuclear future, there won't be a future worth living for.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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