Japan's new climate goals lift prospects for crippled nuclear industry
02 November, 2020
Japan’s move to embrace a climate target of carbon neutrality by 2050 could open just how for the beleaguered nuclear industry to turn up again, nearly a decade following the Fukushima disaster turn off almost all of the country’s reactors.
After the world’s third-largest user of nuclear energy, utilities are actually decommissioning practically 40% of the pre-2011 fleet and the public remains highly suspicious of the industry.
There are currently only two reactors operating, down from about 50 before the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that caused the meltdown in Fukushima.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga unveiled a major shift in Japan’s position on climate change on Oct 26, announcing the program for net-zero emissions in his first address to parliament since becoming leader last month. He particularly flagged the greater usage of renewable energy and nuclear power.
A day after Suga’s announcement, Hiroshige Seko, a senior official in Japan’s ruling party and former industry minister, needed new nuclear plants to be built.
While a senior cabinet official subsequently hosed down that idea, saying Japan had not been planning new plants but would instead concentrate on making the existing reactors safer, the broader line from policymakers suggests an increasing openness to the sector.
Nuclear and coal power has strong support from Japan’s powerful Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), which includes prioritised stable supplies of electricity for industry in the export powerhouse.
“METI is definitely opposed to renewables and also to any improved climate target,” said Mutsuyoshi Nishimura, a former senior Japanese government official and chief climate change negotiator.
“It’s likely that the ministry offers a quid pro quo in getting more nuclear online for agreeing to the change, predicated on my experience in government,” he said.
Suga said the federal government would keep all options open including nuclear, renewables and coal power to meet the new target.
However the public is cautious with nuclear power after the explosions and meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear station in 2011. The disaster highlighted major failings in oversight and procedures in the sector.
The return of nuclear has been slow and fitful as a fresh regulator is relicensing reactors and calling for expensive upgrades. Nine have already been cleared for restart, significantly less than a third of Japan’s operable units.
“Nuclear is now explicitly emphasized as an integral factor of decarbonization, in tandem with renewable energy,” Andrew DeWit, professor of energy policy at Rikkyo University in Tokyo.
“If the industry can avoid pitfalls on the path to more restarts remains a question.”
Source: japantoday.com
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