Japan: economic prowess challenged as nuclear plants stay offline

Japan: economic prowess challenged as nuclear plants stay offline: http://analysis.nuclearenergyinsider.com/operations-maintenance/japan-economic-prowess-challenged-nuclear-plants-stay-offline?utm_source=http%3A%2F%2Fuk.nuclearenergyinsider.com%2Ffc_nei_decomlz%2F&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NEI+e-brief+0602&utm_term=Japan%3A+economic+prowess+challenged+as+nuclear+plants+stay+offline+&utm_content=151899 "In an apparent change of attitude, the new coalition Japanese government has expressed that it may be open to reviving nuclear power.
Toshimitsu Motegi, the minister for economy, trade and industry told reporters in a group interview that the previous administration’s policy of shutting down reactors that are more than 40 years would be reviewed.
Although the more surprising was that Motegi envisions that nuclear power could grow in capacity again, with more plants being built as long as they meet the safety requirements of the recently formed recently formed Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA).
It remains to be seen if this will result in more than just two of the country’s 50 nuclear plants being returned online, but the message is a clear move away from the pledge from the former centre-left government to ease out nuclear reactors altogether by 2040.
One of the major reasons for the change in attitude is that it is felt by major figures in the government that any bid to regain economic prowess means using nuclear power again to meet those demands."