Japan’s Nuclear Energy Industry Nears Shutdown, at Least for Now

I checked the last few days' posts of the huge nuclear emergency thread, and didn't see this mentioned. Couldn't find anything through a search either. I thought this deserved its own thread because I hope a lot of people will find inspiration in this, and more members will see it.

It looks like Japan's government is listening to its people. Perhaps most importantly, the people have a VOICE and their utilizing it. The Japan plants could eventually open back up before they gradually phase out. But if the people are persistent, Japan may never have to see nuclear energy in full swing again. That's definitely something for everyone to look forward to. Is it going to take a major catastrophe in each nuclear powered country for the people to stand up an refuse it? Where is the Kony-scale viral video for ending nuclear power plants?

Here's a few NONCONSECUTIVE paragraphs from the NYtimes article

OHI, Japan — All but two of Japan’s 54 commercial reactors have gone offline since the nuclear disaster a year ago, after the earthquake and tsunami, and it is not clear when they can be restarted. With the last operating reactor scheduled to be idled as soon as next month, Japan — once one of the world’s leaders in atomic energy — will have at least temporarily shut down an industry that once generated a third of its electricity. With few alternatives, the prime minister, Yoshihiko Noda, has called for restarting the plants as soon as possible, saying he supports a gradual phase-out of nuclear power over several decades. Yet, fearing public opposition, he has said he will not restart the reactors without the approval of local community leaders.

On a more fundamental level, the standoff over nuclear power underscores just how much the trauma of the Fukushima accident has changed attitudes in Japan, long one of the world’s most committed promoters of civilian atomic energy. Political and energy experts describe nothing short of a nationwide loss of faith, not only in Japan’s once-vaunted nuclear technology but also in the government, which many blame for allowing the accident to happen.

But it is the nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi that looks likely to have a more lasting impact, even though it has yet to claim a single life. Japan is just beginning what promises to be a radiation cleanup that will last decades of the evacuated areas around the plant, where nearly 90,000 residents lost their homes. The nation is also groping to find effective ways to monitor health and protect its food supply from contamination by the accident, which government scientists now say released about a fifth as much radioactive cesium as the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.

Then there are the new feelings of distrust in technology and in the government, which many Japanese now blame for hiding the true dangers of the nuclear accident. At the same time, this resource-poor nation also knows that it has few realistic alternatives to nuclear power, at least in the short term.

That's okay. I just saw an article on Reuter's about how S. Africa is wanting to build new reactors-to come online by 2024 (and a uranium enrichment plant), and Japan is more than happy to jump in on the bidding, since their new direction is to export building reactors since they are having trouble building in their country right now. They don't want to poison any more of their land right now, but they don't mind poisoning land in other parts of the world as long as their profits from it can continue. How convenient!

I think you have the right idea of a viral nuclear video - we need something - or god help us all............

reply to post by RoyalBlue


Ya it would have to go seriously viral to even have a chance. The only other way I see possible is if it were outlawed internationally and, well that won't happen anytime soon.

reply to post by RoyalBlue

I live in South Africa..this news has just spoiled my appetite for dinner.Lets hope nothing comes of it.

Originally posted by Raxoxane
reply to post by RoyalBlue

 

I live in South Africa..this news has just spoiled my appetite for dinner.Lets hope nothing comes of it.

Well hello, it's not even lunch here yet. If you would like to try to get your appetite back, you could see if you can find any other information on this and see what truth it holds then share it with us if you'd like.