Examining Japan's shift in nuclear power policy

The crisis at the damaged Fukushima-Daiichi power plant has prompted Prime Minister Naoto Kan to call for a complete review of a national energy policy under which nuclear power would have provided 50 percent of electricity by 2030, up from 30 percent now. Experts say the fate of the nearby Shimane nuclear plant could provide clues as to whether a serious shift in energy policy is in store or whether powerful interests backing nuclear power will stage a comeback. "I suspect the sheer practicalities will expose the prime minister's rhetoric for what it is," said Paul Scalise of Temple University, Japan Campus.
May 24, 2011 | Reuters