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Hard Choices: Japan's Post-Fukushima Energy Policy in the 21st Century

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 May 2025

Paul J. Scalise
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Paul Scalise, a supporter of nuclear power, addresses the challenges facing Japanese energy policy following the Fukushima disaster. He begins by acknowledging the massive change in public opinion on nuclear power, even pointing out Son's solar belt as one of the most popular new proposals. However, he questions whether a shift away from nuclear power will put Japan on a sustainable path: “Can Japan achieve a nuclear-free society without risk of rolling blackouts? Are energy security and environmental sustainability fundamentally compatible or mutually exclusive? Is economic efficiency still possible in an energy market that also promotes and subsidizes renewable energy sources?” Scalise reminds us that public opinion should not always dictate policy. Instead, he urges, majority rule should be set aside for what is best for Japan, even if this option may be unpopular.

Type
Research Article
Information
Asia-Pacific Journal , Volume 11 , Special Issue S5: Course Reader No. 5. Public Opinion on Nuclear Power in Japan after the Fukushima Disaster , January 2013 , pp. 89 - 105
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Copyright © The Authors 2013

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