The View from Europe
[…] In fact, some think Japan’s nuclear-free status might not only survive the summer of 2012, but become a fact of life forever.
Until a few weeks ago such a scenario seemed unthinkable. The list of arguments for keeping atomic energy is long.
[…]Yes, the list of arguments is long. But so is the list of hurdles, with the most important being the reactivation of the first reactor. This is where all of Japan’s troubles start and may never end. The government will need local support from the region hosting it.
[…]
Japan might take a page from the German government’s playbook. Right after the Fukushima accident, the German government established the Ethics Commission, which discussed and subsequently made recommendations on the future of the nation’s nuclear policy. It was made up of famous and highly respected individuals including businesspeople, academics and even a cardinal. While the German Ethics Commission paved the way for the country’s exit from nuclear power, a similar approach might help Japan actually achieve the opposite — a restart, however temporary, of the nuclear power business.
Continue reading For better or worse, Japan might remain nuclear-free forever
