Comment by Satoshi Akaike, Master’s student of Environmental Management, from Japan
‘In time I want to see all Japan’s nuclear power stations disappear, but that’s not yet possible. We still really need them to provide Japan’s population of 120 million people with electricity. Above all, we are an industrialized country and that means we need a lot of power. If risk analyses compiled by experts show that it is safe, then there can be no objection to restarting the power stations. But for my grandchildren’s generation, my hope is for a Japan that has switched completely to sustainable energy.
The industries that are involved in the development of nuclear technology are large and powerful in Japan. It is difficult for politicians to change the policy on nuclear power stations – that could cost votes. A company like Toshiba exports this technology to other countries, such as Turkey. So economic motives also play a role. I believe that Japan’s attitude also has to do with the regional balance of power. Because, unlike in Europe, there are tensions between several countries in the region, such as between North Korea and Japan. While Japan does not intend to arm itself, the possession of nuclear energy shows that this potential exists. This enables us maintain the power balance, which stops the tensions from escalating. In a utopian world without armies, this would not be necessary, but that unfortunately is not the reality in which we live.
Opponents who actively object form a minority – Japan is not a country of protesters. My generation doesn’t have a strong sense of identity. After the Second World War we gained a new constitution, designed mainly by the Americans, and the education system was radically reformed. That changed the mentality of the Japanese people. Personally, for example, I don’t have any real nationalist feelings. And with my friends in Japan I rarely talk about politics – it’s not something we feel involved in.’