By Tomomi Yamaguchi (Montana State U)
The catastrophe of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, ongoing since March 11, 2011, has caused a firestorm of debate within Japan on nuclear energy, nuclear power, Japan’s current militarization, and international relations with its Asian neighbors, to name just a few hot button issues.
As a researcher of right-wing movements in Japan over the past four years, I have been following conservative reactions to Fukushima since this spring. While conservatives, historically, have favored nuclear energy, the events of Fukushima have produced surprising splits. While the majority of conservatives maintain their support for nuclear energy, some right-wing activists have organized rallies against nuclear energy or demonstrated against TEPCO for its alleged mishandling of the situation.
Continue reading at The Fukushima Daiichi Accident and Conservative Discourse about Nuclear Energy and Weapons in Japan
