Japan Signals Move Towards Renewable Energy

In response to the nuclear crisis triggered by an earthquake followed by a tsunami that devastated the country on March 11, Japanese prime minister Naoto Kan said the country will revise its energy policy to add alternative energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass, besides putting more emphasis on conservation.

According to an AP report, nuclear accounts for 30 per cent of the country’s energy mix and the country intended to raise it to 50 per cent before the disaster.

Mr. Kan admitted Japan lagged behind Europe and the U.S. in terms of renewable energy and will make a more concentrated effort to adopt it and promote it, although he did not provide any precise figures.

The announcement is likely to please Japanese people who took to the streets last week to protest against nuclear power. 80,000 people have been evacuated from the nuclear spill area and only now small groups are being allowed back into the exclusion zone to gather belongings under intense official supervision. Quite likely they will not go back to their homes permanently again.

Article by Antonio Pasolini, a Brazilian writer and video art curator based in London, UK. He holds a BA in journalism and an MA in film and television.