Tokyo: Japan’s recently compiled energy strategy aimed at phasing out nuclear power by the 2030s seems to be vulnerable as it is likely to be revised under the next government, which has been critical of the push to completely abandon atomic energy despite last year’s nuclear disaster.
Under the energy strategy compiled by the government led by the Democratic Party of Japan, which suffered defeat in Sunday`s election, the country was expected to strive to reduce its reliance on nuclear power.
The government planned strictly limiting the operation of reactors to 40 years and forbidding construction of new reactors.
While the upcoming Liberal Democratic Party, also acknowledges the need to reduce reliance on nuclear power, rules stipulated in the energy strategy could be watered down or withdrawn in line with a possible retraction of the zero-nuclear goal.
“The new government may prefer to take plenty of time to work out a new energy policy, saying something like ``We will think about whether it is appropriate or not to choose a zero-nuclear path’,” the Japan Times quoted a senior government official familiar with energy issues, as saying.
According to the paper, the LDP``s support for nuclear power has also fueled speculation that Japan could see the reactivation of more reactors that clear safety standards to be set by the Nuclear Regulation Authority, an independent body launched in September.
The LDP has said it will decide whether to restart the country``s reactors within three years, the report said.
ANI
