The ruling Japanese government party today approved a policy to phase
out nuclear power by the 2030s, a dramatic shift expected to drive demand for efficiency and renewable energy. The
plan formalizes Japan’s departure from nuclear power last year in the
wake of the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power station where all
but two power stations were shut down for safety checks. As in Germany
and Switzerland, public opinion in Japan has turned firmly against
atomic energy, which led to today’s decision. Japan’s remaining 50
nuclear reactors will operate until their planned 40-year lifetime but
then be shut down, with the latest projected for the mid-2030s. The
country intends to keep fossil fuel use at roughly current levels while
tripling renewable energy’s share and increasing energy efficiency.
