Stress Tests Do Little to Change Japanese Public Opinion of Nuclear Energy

Researched by Industrial Info Resources East Asia (Kofu-shi, Japan)--Last week, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) released further information regarding Japan's pending nuclear stress tests. As it stands now, the stress tests are to be broken into two separate stages. The first stage, which will be applied to those reactors downed for maintenance will take into account a nuclear power station's ability to cope with stressors. These include earthquakes, tsunami, loss of power and the inability to vent heat in the case of emergency. Stage 2 will determine whether or not the nuclear energy industry as a whole should continue by evaluating how plants are able to cope with a combination of stressors.

The government proposed stress tests in order to calm public anxiety over nuclear energy, however over the past month, political unrest has done little to assuage public fear. Government sentiment has lurched one way then another since the accident. During the first month following the Fukushima Daiichi accident, Prime Minister Kan expressed his hope that nuclear energy would remain as one of Japan's key energy pillars. More recently however, Kan has called for Japan to phase nuclear reactors out of the of the country's energy mix. At least 70% of the Japanese public supports the motion for Japan to become nuclear free.

In lieu of nuclear energy, the government is taking the brakes off of renewable energy development. More and more companies are latching onto this initiative. Gas companies, like Tokyo Gas Company Limited (TYO:9531) (Tokyo), and service providers, like the mobile phone company Softbank Corporation (TYO:9984) (Tokyo), are pushing into the areas of wind and solar power, respectively. Sharp Corporation (TYO:6753) (Osaka, Japan) is also pushing for further domestic solar power development despite China's surplus of less-expensive solar panels.

In the meantime, thermal energy will continue to play a significant role in the country's energy mix. Though the demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) has slowed, demand is still higher in comparison to last year. New gas-fired and LNG-fired capacity is being planned by power generation companies, as well as by the government. Governing bodies of Japan rarely involve themselves in power generation, however the Tokyo prefectural government is planning to develop a 1,000-megawatt gas-fired power plant in Tokyo.

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