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The Fukushima power plant seen before the devastating tsunami struck. Pic: AP.

Nuke plant utility: Some safety measures neglected

By AP News Sat, Dec 15, 2012 12:25PM UTC 0 Comment

TOKYO (AP) — The operator of the disaster-struck Japanese nuclear power plant has acknowledged that the company long neglected safety measures intended to avoid and manage severe accidents while it was obsessed with fixing minor safety problems to improve operational records. Tokyo Electric Power Co. is struggling to reform itself, and earlier this year launched...

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Democracy vs corporatocracy: Japan’s nuclear (non)phase-out

By Graham Land Fri, Sep 21, 2012 7:00AM UTC 2 Comments

Being the only country ever to be attacked by atomic bombs and one of the few to experience a nuclear meltdown (just around year and a half ago), it’s not hard to see why nuclear power might be a controversial issue in Japan. In the aftermath of Fukushima, Japan even powered down its nuclear stations...

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China and SKorea’s nuclear industries go international

By Graham Land Sat, Jul 21, 2012 8:35PM UTC 0 Comment

A couple of months ago I posted about the nuclear power ambitions and phasing out of nuclear power plants in both the East and West. Though the US is by far the largest user of nuclear energy with 104 plants, China is the country that is leading in the construction and planned construction of new...

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‘Reflexive obedience’: What the Fukushima report says about Japanese culture

By Anna Watanabe Wed, Jul 11, 2012 9:12PM UTC 0 Comment

It’s been almost a week since the Fukushima nuclear power plant crisis was declared a “profoundly man made” disaster by a parliamentary commission. The report by the National Diet of Japan Fukushima Nuclear Independent Investigation Commission (NAIIC) is very straightforward in it’s findings: that “the government, the regulators and TEPCO… effectively betrayed the nation’s right to...

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More Fukushima ‘fallout’: democracy and solar power

By Graham Land Sat, Jun 23, 2012 9:00AM UTC 1 Comment

solar panel installation in Japan, pic: Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious (Flickr CC)

Certain political voices in Japan are calling for a referendum on nuclear power, including trade and industry minister Yukio Edano. The PM, who recently stated that two of Japan’s offline reactors must be restarted to protect the country’s economy and its citizens’ livelihoods, is also open to a no nuke option, but is pushing a...

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