Prime Minister Naoto Kan, citing economic concerns, said he would allow nuclear power plants to resume operations as early as possible after their safety is confirmed based on stricter safety measures.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan, citing economic concerns, said he would allow nuclear power plants to resume operations as early as possible after their safety is confirmed based on stricter safety measures.
However, Kan also said on an Internet program on natural energy June 19 that operations at the Hamaoka nuclear plant in Shizuoka Prefecture will remain suspended because the plant has special circumstances.
The Hamaoka plant is located in an area where the long-expected Tokai earthquake is likely to strike.
A day earlier, Banri Kaieda, the minister of economy, trade and industry, called for resuming operations at nuclear power plants that have been suspended for regular inspections.
Kan totally agreed with Kaieda on the issue, saying suspension of all nuclear reactors in the nation would have a significant impact on the Japanese economy.
The prime minister had not made it clear if he would approve a resumption of nuclear operations based on existing safety standards.
At the same time, he outlined his plan to establish tougher standards in light of the disaster at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. But Kan appears to believe that additional safety measures required by the ministry of trade and industry would suffice for now, with concerns mounting over a significant power shortage in the summer. Kan also promised to push the nation toward a greater reliance on renewable energy sources.
Kan said on the program that from a long-term perspective, the country's heavy reliance on nuclear power needs to be critically reviewed.
Japan might increase its use of fossil fuels during the review process, Kan said, but a structural shift to natural energy and an energy-conserving society would ultimately be a boon to the nation's economy.