Japan Backs Off Of Its Nuclear Power Plant Building Plans

Japan has announced that it will abandon a plan to obtain half of its electricity from nuclear power and will instead promote renewable energy and conservation as a result of its ongoing nuclear crisis.

[Translation: Japan will use much more liquified natural gas]

Nuclear plants supply about 30 percent of Japan’s electricity, and the government had planned to raise that to 50 percent by 2030.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan also announced that he would take a pay cut beginning in June until the Fukushima nuclear crisis is resolved.  The Center has been calling for Kan to resign for mishandling the aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi disaster.

Kan's judgment is also suspect due to the following quote:

“I believe the government bears a major responsibility for having promoted nuclear energy as national policy. I apologize to the people for failing to prevent the nuclear accident.” 

Huh?  Promoting nuclear power provided Japan with incredible economic develop without spewing smog forming and greenhouse gases.  Nuclear power is not the culprit.  The horrible decision-making about the Act of God is what Kan should be apologize for.  Japan should have started completely sealing that site just as soon as they suspected a hydrogen explosion occur.

About 80,000 people living within a 12-mile radius of the plant were evacuated from their homes March 12, with many now living in gymnasiums. (Wash Post, 5/10/2011)