Japan’s Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, promises to cut reliance on nuclear energy

In our analysis of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster that struck Japan in March (2011), we were critical of the Japanese government for choosing nuclear power in a region that is geologically described as the ring of fire. Now, in a move to ensure similar situations do not happen again, Japan’s Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, has promised to cut the country’s reliance on nuclear energy.

In a memorial speech for the 66th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing in World War II (read the full speech at http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/kan/statement/201108/06hiroshima_e.html), Naoto Kan said, “I deeply regret believing in the security myth of nuclear power and will carry out a thorough verification on the cause of this incident and implement fundamental countermeasures to ensure safety. At the same time, Japan will reduce its level of reliance on nuclear power generation with the aim of becoming a society that is not dependent on nuclear power.”

With Japan’s technological sophistication, hopefully the new stance on energy will lead to a host of technological advancements in green energy. The geological instability of the ring of fire super-region alone presents significant opportunities for clean energy generation.

Naoto Kan also stated that, “People must never forget, nor repeat, the horrors caused by nuclear weapons here in Hiroshima 66 years ago”. Something that countries like Pakistan, Iran, North Korea and China could take note of with their ongoing murmurings of nuclear weapons development.