BY SINI STEPHAN
ANCHOR NATHAN BYRNE
Japan’s prime minister ordered the controversial
restart of two nuclear reactors Saturday.
The BBC has the story.
“Japan is to restart two nuclear reactors.
The first to resume operations since all 50
were shut off in the wake of the meltdown
of the Fukushima plants last year.”
The move has elicited large protests by those
who believe the country needs to stop relying
on nuclear power.
Al Jazeera reports.
“It’s a decision that’s angered some
people.
Hundreds of anti-nuclear protesters gathered
in Tokyo to demand the government permanently
stop relying on nuclear power.”
And the government is responding.
The country is taking action to separate business
ties and energy needs by forming a Nuclear
Regulatory system.
The Los Angeles Times says …
“The proposed Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
guided by a five-member board free of financial
ties to the industry, will replace the much-maligned
Nuclear Industrial Safety Agency, which has
regulated nuclear production from within the
government trade ministry.”
While Japan’s prime minister is facing tension
with the public, he assures them the reactors
have passed several safety checks.
He plans to restart additional reactors in
order to sustain Japan’s economy.
The Economist reports.
“His aim is to set an ageing, shrinking
society back on course, after it was shaken
by the disasters of last year.
… The prime minister is also staking his
reputation on a second belief, that Japan
needs to restart some of its nuclear reactors
to prevent the economy being crippled by energy
shortages.”
According to SkyNews, Japan is debating renewable
energy targets of between 25 percent to 35
percent of total power generation by 2030.
Before the Fukushima crisis, nuclear energy
generated about one-third of Japan's electricity.
