Nuclear Power Politics in Japan, 2011-2013

Large antinuclear demonstrations in 2012 and significant expansion of renewable energy have sparked a degree of euphoria about the prospects for phasing out nuclear energy in Japan. But Prime Minister Abe Shinzo is pronuclear and favors restarting Japan’s idled reactors. His Liberal Democratic Party now controls both houses of the Diet and is a key pillar of Japan’s nuclear village, comprising influential government, business, and political institutions that advocate nuclear energy. The nuclear village retains veto power over national energy policy, and citizens will not get to decide the outcome even if public opinion polls indicate that a vast majority favor phasing out nuclear energy. By ignoring many of the lessons of Fukushima and fast-tracking reactor restarts, the government and utilities continue to downplay risk, leaving Japan vulnerable to another nuclear accident.