SimplyInfo » Entries tagged with "politics"
Atomic Scientists Urge Obama To Discourage Japan On Rokkasho
[Translate] In an open letter to US President Obama the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists urged him to change his support for Japan’s nuclear reprocessing program. Currently the US and the State Department have been pressuring Japan to continue building the reprocessing facility and MOX plant at Rokkasho. The logic had been that the full fuel cycle provided an outlet for spent fuel to be reused but the actual process extracts plutonium into a form that has great proliferation risks. With Japan’s nuclear program in doubt and their MOX and fast breeder programs all but dead the country has no outlet for any reprocessed nuclear material. Read the full letter here. http://thebulletin.org/web-edition/features/open-letter-to-president-obama-the-time-the-doomsday-clock-five-minutes-to-midn The reprocessing plant at Rokkasho is already in testing mode and is already releasing large amounts of radiation into the atmosphere and Pacific … Read entire article »
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Faster Than Unit 1 Melted Down
[Translate] The power companies in Japan are already demanding reactor restarts after the LDP won the election. via Jiji This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific original authors or creators and was reproduced here with limited permission. While we welcome the sharing of information or promoting our work, please do so with respect to the large amount of effort and time that goes into our research and analysis. Referring to something or a quote is great, copying it all or in substantial parts is not so great. If you wish to reproduce any of our content in full or in more than a phrase or quote, please contact us … Read entire article »
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Japan’s Election Offers Little Promise For Change, Exposes Entrenched Interests
[Translate] Japan’s upcoming election one would assume to be a referendum on nuclear power. Even with considerable interest on the subject and large numbers of the public opposing nuclear power, it may not mean anything will change. Japan’s political system favors entrenched political power as the LDP has taken advantage of for decades. While there has been some disruption by new parties, they have not managed to take large percentages in polling. One new party being the far right Japan Restoration Party that wants to toss out post war agreements, increase Japan’s military and even hinted at having nuclear weapons. The other party that has been able to at least field candidates is the Party for Japan’s future. This is the closest Japan has to a green party fielding candidates with a … Read entire article »
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Only 9.6% In Japan Want Continuation Of Nuclear Power
[Translate] A recent Jiji News poll asked about public sentiment on nuclear power. Only 9.6% want a continuation of nuclear power. 86.4% want a reduction of nuclear power or a zero nuclear energy policy. 54% want a reduction and 32.4% wanted zero nuclear. For those who wanted zero nuclear power, who they would vote for was rather diluted with no party holding a considerable lead. This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific original authors or creators and was reproduced here with limited permission. While we welcome the sharing of information or promoting our work, please do so with respect to the large amount of effort and time that goes … Read entire article »
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The Real US Motivation For Japan To Keep Nuclear Power
[Translate] Last week the odd political dance between the US and Japan ended with Japan backing off of their plan to phase out nuclear power. The US claimed heavily that is was over proliferation issues but mentioned as an aside it would hurt the US nuclear energy sector. This seemed quite odd, why the US would be so worried about Japan’s civilian nuclear power program. The proliferation excuse was very flawed and made no sense. Ending nuclear power generation would stop the fuel cycle in Japan meaning no new plutonium would be created. This then would only leave the issue of what to do with all the spent fuel and plutonium already created in Japan. A wide array of options exist to deal with the proliferation issue yet the US pretended to … Read entire article »
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Japan’s New Nuclear Agency Shuts Down Public Document Access
[Translate] The new nuclear regulatory agency in Japan intended to bring more public disclosure and transparency to the industry has closed the public nuclear documents library. As the agency transitioned from the old agency (NISA) to the new one (NRA) no provision was made to move or keep open the library. This library contains important nuclear documents and public records. The records included things like application documents and safety reports. After the Fukushima nuclear disaster about 100 people a day used the library. This action comes on the heels of criticism of the agency for blocking many reporters from their press conferences and forbiding reporters from entering the agency’s new offices. Source: Mainichi This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright … Read entire article »
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US Pressures Japan To End Nuclear Phase Out Plan
[Translate] The US state department has apparently pressured Japan to end their new policy of nuclear power phase out. The US cites proliferation issues and mentions in passing the US energy policy being at risk. Former Deputy Energy Secretary Martin cites this as part of the government’s issue: “The US energy strategy would be more likely to suffer a direct damage“. The news articles posted on September 25th and then quickly pulled back off of news websites heavily cite proliferation issues. Japan has an agreement with the US that allows them to reprocess nuclear fuel at the Rokkasho nuclear fuels facility. The facility has been under construction for 19 years and is still in a testing mode, so actual reprocessing has yet to happen at the plant. Part of the issue is that … Read entire article »
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Japan’s Nuclear Program; Rearranging Deck Chairs On The Titanic
[Translate] Japan announced last week a vague plan to end nuclear power in the 2030′s that was retracted within days after protest from the US and Japan business groups. The head of Japan’s power companies the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan complained that the energy policy shift would cause the government to “lose the confidence of nuclear-hosting communities”. The complaint is more likely due to issues like KEPCO losing 125 billion yen over the summer as they were forced to keep all but 2 nuclear plants offline. The Keidanran business association continued to hammer the current government, demanding they draw up a “responsible” energy policy. The US government also announced this week they would station a new missile defense radar system in Japan to help protect the country. The US doesn’t come out … Read entire article »
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Japan To Close 3 Nuclear Plants Or Another Campaign Game?
[Translate] The current government in Japan has declared they will shut 3 older nuclear reactors in Japan at the Mihama and Tsuruga nuclear plants. A bit further into the story they admit they won’t actually be making this decision it will be up to the new nuclear agency that takes over this week. So the decision isn’t really a decision or their decision… The three reactors are past their 40 year shut down dates and all sit above a crush zone making them more prone to quake damage. Mihama unit 1 is 320MW Mihama unit 2 is 470MW Tsuruga unit 1 is 357MW These are tiny compared to newer nuclear reactors that come closer to the 1000MW range. So the idea of shutting these units down may be a good campaign promise and would take three … Read entire article »
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Japan’s Government Already Backs Off No Nuclear Pledge
[Translate] Kyodo news is reporting Japan’s DPJ government has already began to back off of their campaign promise to end nuclear power in Japan. The entire plan will no longer be included in a document to be considered by Noda’s cabinet leaving it now not even a campaign promise. This concept lasted about one week and raised the ire of the worldwide corporate nuclear industry and the US government. The US government still has not made clear why Japan’s decision to phase out nuclear was their concern. This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific original authors or creators and was reproduced here with limited permission. While we welcome … Read entire article »
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Japan’s Nuclear Exit; Nuclear Farce Or Who Is Behind The Resistance To Change
[Translate] Japan’s DPJ has announced that they intend to phase out the use of nuclear power by 2030. While the campaign promise has many hopeful it is quite vague, without immediate actions and leaves open the potential to un-do the policy in the future. It is also newsworthy that the DPJ’s new effort to avoid election defeat is causing some very telling reactions throughout the world. Most in Japan proclaimed it as progress though many were cautious about the lack of concrete action. The phase out states “2030′s” as in it could stretch it out to 2039 actually making it 2040. Also that all of this policy will be revisited periodically and could be changed. The future of the nuclear reprocessing plant in Aomori prefecture then became a question. The officials there insisted … Read entire article »
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Japan’s Establishment Grasping At Straws To Keep Nuclear Status Quo
[Translate] Two Japanese politician made claims predicting greater doom and gloom if Japan ends nuclear power. Japan’s defense chief claimed nuclear power provides a deterrent against a foreign attack, that they give the impression Japan could build a nuclear bomb on short notice. The government put out a claim that electricity bills would double by 2030. Something research by Mitsubishi Research Institute among others say is just not true. Another issue that has been brought up to try to excuse continuing nuclear power in Japan is that many nuclear plants do not possess enough funds in reserve to pay for decommissioning. The new head of TEPCO has proclaimed they don’t have any money to invest in renewable energy as the nuclear disaster at Fukushima Daiichi and paying victim compensation are taking all their funds. … Read entire article »
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Japan Government To Ignore Public Opinion, Scientific Warnings & Law
[Translate] Recent statements by the governing political party in Japan have taken things into surreal territory. The recent public polling showed 90% of the public want an end to nuclear power use in Japan. Yet the government experts charged with handling the public opinion information have deemed the public opinion to be lacking in “deep consideration”. Prime Minister Noda apparently made this comment on NHK: “The opinions expressed in the public comments are biased, and cannot be taken seriously. I would like to listen to the silent majority [who do not submit public comments].” It also came out this week that predicted blackouts were just scare tactics. New projections show no energy shortfalls in Japan for the remaining summer. Today Kyodo reported that NISA will simply change the rules when it comes to the nuclear … Read entire article »
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90% In Japan Want Zero Nuclear Power
[Translate] Initial counts of the public responses on Japan’s future nuclear power use report 90% want an end to nuclear power. 81% want zero nuclear plants immediately. Another 8.6% want a phase out. Only 4% want nuclear power use to continue in some manner. The information has only been in Japanese language media so far, EX-SKF has a full translation of the Mainichi article. PM Noda announced yesterday there will be a national election in November. How the election, the public push against nuclear power and the government’s actions on the issue play out could prove interesting. Some are likening this to be the most important election since the 1960′s. This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. … Read entire article »
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Nuclear Protest Coordinators Tactical Failure, National Resistance Continues
[Translate] The organizers of the Friday night protests in Tokyo had their meeting with Prime Minister Noda Wednesday. At the meeting Noda repeated his claim that restarting the reactors was necessary to “save lives”. Noda made no concessions to the organizers and the organizers made none to Noda. The protest organizers stated that the protests were growing and that they are determined to continue the protests. The group urged Noda to shut down the reactors at Oi and abolish all nuclear power in Japan. The group also asked for the people nominated to the new nuclear regulatory agency to be withdrawn citing a lack of transparency. Noda continued to repeat his already tired statements about reactor safety and the supposed need for reactors to be operating right now. Neither said gave in, both sides … Read entire article »
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Noda’s New Leaf Or Pandering Hollow Promises?
[Translate] During the Hiroshima bombing anniversary memorials Prime Minister Noda made a series of sweeping statements. “Japan needs to teach younger generations about the horrors of nuclear weapons. He also says it is time for Japan to end its dependence on nuclear energy” “The government is determined to clean up districts contaminated in last year’s nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. He said the government will do all it can to rebuild infrastructure so that residents can return home as soon as possible.” “He also pledged to stick to the country’s 3 principles of not allowing the production, possession and entry of nuclear arms into Japan.” “Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda says he’ll ask his ministers to clarify what issues lay ahead if the country should end its dependence on nuclear energy” Noda also made … Read entire article »
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More Protests Planned In Japan, Political Upheaval Grows
[Translate] This weekend brought a number of unusually large protests against the reactor restart at Oi and nuclear power in Japan. A protest on Friday in Tokyo had about 200,000 people according to reports from organizers. There was also a protest in Chiba in PM Noda’s home town. There was a huge multi-day occupation of the Oi nuclear plant. It was a landmark weekend of protests but even more are planned. On July 7th the “No Nukes Allstars” rally is planned in Shibuya Tokyo. Anonymous has a public engagement effort the same day July 7th, in Shibuya Tokyo. The regular Friday night protests in front of the Prime Minister’s residence are expected to continue. There is also a large demonstration planned for July 29th at the Diet. July 29th (Sunday, not a Friday), at … Read entire article »
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Japan Govt. Absolves TEPCO, Blames Public For Oi Restart
[Translate] Former Prime Minister Kan provided his testimony to the national Diet in Japan recently. In his comments he fended off criticism for his actions during the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. He also clarified how the disaster turned him completely off of the idea of nuclear power. “In his testimony, Mr Kan said Japan’s plant safety was inadequate because the energy policy had been hijacked by the ”nuclear village” – a term for the power companies and pro-nuclear regulators and researchers that worked closely together to promote the industry.” “He said the prospect of losing Tokyo made him realize that nuclear power was just too risky, and the consequences of an accident were too large for Japan to accept. ”It is impossible to ensure safety sufficiently to prevent the risk of a … Read entire article »
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Japan’s Politicians & Advisors Behind The Reactor Restarts
[Translate] While there has been an almost hyper-focus on METI minister Yukio Edano related to the issue of reactor restarts and Japan’s energy policy, he is not the key player. A list of politicians who are likely behind this out of touch government push has been slowly developing. Their comments on nuclear energy in Japan and the reactor restarts indicate they are likely behind this effort. We are looking into others. If you have some related political insight share in the comments or stop by the live chat and let us know. Yoshito Sengoku: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshito_Sengoku DPJ’s Sengoku describes halt of all nuclear plants ‘mass suicide’ NAGOYA, April 16, Kyodo Yoshito Sengoku, acting chief policymaker of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, on Monday described the halting of all nuclear power plants in Japan as its ”mass suicide.” ”If … Read entire article »
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Japan Government Releases New Last Minute Safety Measures
[Translate] The new safety measures introduced at the last minute intended to sway local governors to allow the Oi reactor to restart were released today. “The guidelines, based on 30 recommendations adopted last month by the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, require nuclear power plants to install filtered vents that could reduce radiation leaks in case of an accident, as well as a device to prevent hydrogen explosions. About 13 of the recommendations – the most crucial measures needed to secure cooling functions and prevent meltdowns as in Fukushima – were implemented, but the rest were not. The guidelines did not set deadlines for the steps to be finished.” So 13 “guidelines” were adopted in some manner. It is not clear if they are now binding law in some manner or simply suggestions … Read entire article »
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