On nuclear power, Japan is moving forward. "It will continue to be one of the four pillars of the country's energy policy," stressed the Japanese industry minister, Banri Kaieda, when asked to comment on the result of the Italian referendum.
Kaieda admitted that he "understands" the push to abandon the atom in his country as well, but he observed that "the inflexible supply of electricity has impacts on economic activity and people's lives". Before last March 11, the date of the Fukushima earthquake tragedy, 30% of the energy produced in Japan came from nuclear energy. Since then, only 19 of the 54 existing reactors have remained operational. And so the nationwide power plant utilization rate fell to 40,9%, the lowest since May 1979.
Meanwhile, the Japanese government has approved a bill to help Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) compensate people affected by the radiation leaking from the Fukushima plant. The novelty had positive effects on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on the Tepco share, which closed up 13%. It is not clear when the measure will pass in Parliament. Prime Minister Naoto Kan is grappling with growing pressure from those calling for his resignation: his government has failed to pass several measures related to the earthquake disaster in a very divided Parliament.
