Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Tuesday promised a radical review of the total energy policy.
The aim was to set right the distortion of a heavy reliance on nuclear power generation, he indicated at a press conference in Tokyo.
Mr. Kan said: “Under the current energy policy, by the year 2030, more than 50 per cent of Japan's electricity will come from nuclear power generation, 20 per cent from renewable energy resources. However, we now have to go back to the drawing board to conduct a fundamental review of the nation's basic energy policy. In the past, the government promoted nuclear power generation as a national policy. So it shares the responsibility for the problems caused by [an earthquake and tsunami at] the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.”
Tracing some aspects of the new move to think out of the nuclear box, Mr. Kan said: “With regard to nuclear energy, safety should be emphasised as a priority. … Fossil fuel was another important source of energy so far. CO2 reduction should be implemented.”
Energy savings
“Natural energy [resources] and energy savings should be the two additional pillars of Japan's [new] energy policy. We have to aggressively learn to use such alternative energy sources. … I wish to make efforts to promote such diversified [access to] energy sources.”
On energy conservation, he called for “a new kind of society which will use less energy.”
Not to take salary
Apologising once again for the Fukushima nuclear radiation crisis, Mr. Kan said he would not draw his prime ministerial pay from this month and until the end of the nuclear crisis.
