Well a powerful politician from the Democratic Party of Japan (the ruling party) agrees with you, although he's from the "other side".
From Yomiuri Shinbun (4/16/2012):
民主党の仙谷由人政調会長代行は１６日、名古屋市で講演し、原子力発電所の再稼働について「電力なしに生活できないことは、昨年の東京電力の計画停電騒ぎで極めて明らかだ。止めた原発を一切動かさないなら、日本は集団自殺するようなことになってしまう」と述べ、国民生活の安定のために再稼働は不可欠との認識を示した。
Yoshito Sengoku, acting chairman of the policy bureau of the Democratic Party of Japan, gave a lecture in Nagoya City on April 16, and said, "It is quite obvious from last year's planned blackout fiasco by TEPCO that we cannot live without electricity. If we do not re-start any of the nuclear plants that have been shut down, it would mean a mass suicide of Japan", sharing his understanding that the re-start of the nuclear power plant is indispensable to keep the lives of the citizenry stable.
Mr. Sengoku is said to be a force behind the re-start of nuclear power plants in Japan. He is said to have kept a tight leash on the four ministers who have finally decided to re-start Ooi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui Prefecture. The plant is operated by Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO).
The four ministers who have made a political decision to re-start Ooi Nuke Plant are: Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, Minister of Economy Yukio Edano, Minister of the Environment/nuclear accident Goshi Hosono, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura.
So idling all but one plant is just about OK, but idling that last one as well will be suicide? Of course - and also climate change will occur killing many innocent people. Or having to use dirty coal like the Germans, killing more innocent people and destroying our world. Nuke to the rescue!
ReplyDeleteDid you know that generation of electricity is only one sixth of total primary energy demand? That's 17%. So if Japan has 40% of nuclear (which is electric generation only, no other energy like heat or other industrial purpose energy) then only 7% of Japan's energy demands are currently being met by nuclear power generation (at the moment obviously even less).
That also opens up an interesting "nuclear will save the climate crisis" topic: even if you max out nuke power like France to 75% (because of the base load property), you still only cover three quarters of 17% of total primary energy demand (=13%). And you rightly start wondering how increasing nuclear's proportion from 7% to 13% will save the climate. And even if you seriously tried you apparently need to double the number of plants to get to that figure. And you need to double uranium intake, waste storage, reprocessing…
"Ideological" issues aside, anyone see a practical problem with this?
Wool over yer eyes.
Personally, I'm ready to do without air conditioning, electric heat, and all lights after sundown if it means permanently terminating these evil machines.
ReplyDeleteBut conservation does not mean extremes. More likely it means a temporary hiatis from neon signs in shinjuku, fewer trains mid-day, and a little while without overlighted streets and illuminated signage in nights and evenings. Japan can overcome this transition phase to non-nuclear with a little common sense and conservation.
But it will be more difficult if Japan allows this twit and his band of merry men to lead them. Let's be sure everyone sees him for the idiot and sociopath that he is. Getting the word out about the above quotation is a great start.
As an exchange student, I lived a whole year in Japan without AC. It sure is hot and can at times be uncomfortable but it is by no means suicide. The proper response to living in a hot climate is simply to take life easier and slower.
ReplyDeleteSengoku-san might refer to the alleged undercover Japanese atomic bomb program which would offer Japan the capacity to assembly a bomb very quickly if the country does not have one/several already. Without nuclear plant nor nuclear fuel processing facility that would be nearly impossible. Any reason (energy policy, arms race...) should require a rational explanation and be debated at the diet no?
ReplyDeleteYoshito Sengoku,
ReplyDeleteJapan has already tried nuclear suicide.
Japan can do better than that. If they put as much effort into solar, wind, and wave, Japan will flourish like no other nation.
How is it clear from a blackout fiasco - that as far as I heard, didn't even happen - that they can't live without electricity? They sure lived fine without electricity, not even a century ago, for hundreds and thousands of years. Weak.
ReplyDeleteIt is clear that JP government do is possible to force Japan to use nuclear power plants again: no real economy of energy, no development of other energy sources...
ReplyDeleteWhen the government become the worst enemy of the people...
There is probably energy savings potential equivalent to 10 or 20 nuke plants in a developed country like US or JP.
ReplyDeleteOkay, this politician should move his family where his mouth is. These people have no background in risk management. If an accident such as Fukushima can happen in Japan it can happen anywhere here. All plants on faults should be shut down (all of Japan). The Japanese are infamous for building codes to withstand quakes and this one did not make it. Not only did it not withstand the quake, 3 reactors exploded while no one knows where the coriums are. I still would like to know where the coriums are but the conversation has been steered toward number 4 collapsing. How the coriums are reacting is the upmost of importance.
ReplyDeleteGood comments from the first post up there. And don't forget thorium reactors can save the day too!
ReplyDeletePowering Cars & Homes
with Water & Sunlight
MIT owns the patent to Dan Nocera's hydrogen splitter but the technology is "open source" and scientists are invited to come up with as many useful applications for it as possible.
Nocera says that in the future, individuals will produce all of their own energy requirements; to power their homes and their cars, using water and sunlight
This is what he means by "Personalized Energy."
Gone will be the gas station. Gone will be the fighting of senseless wars to control outmoded, toxic fuels.
Gone will be the burning of coal to create electricity for a mass power grid. Gone will be the cyber wars and EMP attacks against the power grids. Gone may be the power grid, itself.
In his words, the future "Is really not that bad."
http://www.forbiddenknowledgetv.com/videos/alternative-energy/dan-nocera-the-futureis-really-not-that-bad.html
United States Circumvented Laws To Help Japan Accumulate Tons of Plutonium
http://www.dcbureau.org/201204097128/national-security-news-service/united-states-circumvented-laws-to-help-japan-accumulate-tons-of-plutonium.html
@6:44,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the link to the Trento article. A well written explanation of the choices made and the people who made them in this nuclear nightmare. Too bad Nancy didn't focus on getting Ronald to "Just Say No".
Thorium has its own problems and still has to be dug out of the ground. Thorium is not renewable power.
ReplyDelete"Thorium is a bone-seeker and it would be with me the rest of my life."
http://marcosaba.tripod.com/ornlincidenti.html
Thorium reactors saving the day. HAH! They don't exist because they are too dangerous. Read up on them before parroting pro-thorium babble.
ReplyDelete