Japan plans end to nuclear, but public still at risk for 18 more years
Tokyo, September 14, 2012 – Greenpeace Japan today cautiously welcomed the Japanese government’s landmark new ‘energy
and environment strategy’ of zero nuclear reactors in the 2030s, but warned that 18 years is still too long to keep the
country's nuclear plants online and the public's safety at threat.
Decisive action is essential and the strategy is a long-overdue recognition that nuclear power is neither needed nor
wanted in Japan. It follows relentless protests by the Japanese public against nuclear energy following the Fukushima
disaster.
Still, Greenpeace Japan cautioned that while the announcement was moderately ambitious, the government and energy
utilities must make every effort to rapidly phase out nuclear power and deploy renewable solutions to avoid future
disasters.
“The government’s strategy involves a nuclear phase-out nearly two decades later than needed, It also provides clarity
for the business community that renewable power, not nuclear, is the future,” said Kazue Suzuki, Greenpeace Japan
nuclear campaigner.
“The government must use its new energy strategy as a starting point for a far more ambitious renewable policy, greater
energy efficiency measures, and increasingly bold strides towards the sustainable green economy that will secure Japan’s
future prosperity.”
Greenpeace demonstrated in its Energy [R]evolution scenario that Japan can support an economic recovery while meeting
its 2020 obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions without restarting any of its nuclear plants taken offline after
the Fukushima disaster.
The government’s Feed in Tariff (FiT) is already demonstrating strong results. On July 1, after just one month of
operation, 560MW or 20% of the government’s total aim for nine-months was achieved, showing that right legislation is
already kick-starting a renewable energy boom.
“For too long Japan’s leaders have ignored their people and gambled the health, safety and economic stability of every
citizen on nuclear power, and as the people of Fukushima continue to suffer, so does the rest of our country,” said
Suzuki. “This announcement must become law, otherwise it will be seen as nothing but lip service to buy votes before the
coming election.”
“A nuclear-free future is not a choice, it’s an inevitability. This energy strategy provides Japan's first real step in
eliminating nuclear risks forever, and it will send a message to other countries that it is time to end the use of this
dangerous technology once and for all,” Suzuki added.
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and
conserve the environment, and to promote peace.