Japanese PM Fumio Kishida on Wednesday instructed his government to consider developing safer, smaller nuclear reactors, signalling a renewed emphasis on nuclear energy years after many of the country's plants were shut down. Kishida made the comment at a “green transformation” conference on bolstering the country's efforts to curb emissions of greenhouse gases.
Japan has pledged to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Anti-nuclear sentiment and safety concerns rose sharply in Japan after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear plant disaster, but the Govt has been pushing for a return to nuclear energy amid worries of power shortages following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and a global push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Govt, however, previously insisted it was not considering building new plants or replacing aged reactors, apparently to avoid stoking criticisms from a wary public. Kishida's comment on Wednesday represents a sharp change from that stance.
Kishida said the panel presented proposals for the development and construction of “new innovative reactors designed with new safety mechanisms." He called on his Government to speed up its examination of “every possible measure” and reach a decision by the end of the year.