How Fukushima Changed Japan's Energy Mix
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Published on: March 11, 2020 / update from: October 3, 2021 - Author: Konrad Wolfenstein
How Fukushima changed Japan’s energy mix – Image: Santiherllor|Shutterstock.com
9 years later. The March 11, 2011 nuclear incident at Fukushima, Japan, made international headlines for months, but it also changed Japanese attitudes toward nuclear energy. After a devastating tsunami that hit Japan on March 11, 2011, emergency generators cooling the Fukushima nuclear power plant failed, causing a total of three meltdowns, explosions and the release of radioactive material into surrounding areas.
Before the incident, the Japanese were known as steadfast supporters of nuclear energy, despite previous nuclear disasters at Three Mile Island (USA) and Chernobyl (Ukraine). But a nuclear meltdown on their own soil changed the minds of many citizens and galvanized the anti-nuclear movement.
After mass protests, the Japanese government under then-Prime Minister Yoshihiko announced plans to make Japan nuclear-free by 2030 and not to rebuild any of the damaged reactors. New Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has since tried to change the nation's opinion on nuclear energy by emphasizing that the technology is actually carbon neutral and well suited to meeting emissions targets.
Despite the restart of a reactor at the Sendai power plant in southern Japan in 2015, nuclear energy has almost disappeared from Japanese electricity generation . In 2018 (latest available data), only 6 percent of energy produced in Japan came from nuclear power plants. Coal and natural gas took up most of the slack, but renewable sources, particularly solar, also increased after 2011.
9 years after. The March 11, 2011, Fukushima nuclear incident in Japan made international headlines for months, but it also changed Japanese attitudes towards nuclear energy. After a devastating tsunami hit Japan on March 11, 2011, emergency generators cooling the Fukushima nuclear power plant gave out and caused a total of three nuclear meltdowns, explosions and the release of radioactive material into the surrounding areas.
Before the incident, the Japanese had been known as steadfast supporters of nuclear energy, despite previous nuclear disasters at Three Mile Island (USA) or Chernobyl (Ukraine). But a meltdown on their own soil changed the minds of many citizens and kicked the anti-nuclear power movement into gear.
After mass protests, the Japanese government under then Prime Minister Yoshihiko announced plans to make Japan nuclear free by 2030 and not to rebuild any of the damaged reactors. New Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has since tried to change the nation's mind about nuclear energy by highlighting that the technology is indeed carbon neutral and well suited to reach emission goals.
Despite one reactor restart at Sendai power plant in Southern Japan in 2015, nuclear energy has almost disappeared from Japanese electricity generation . In 2018 (latest available), only 6 percent of energy generated in Japan came from nuclear power plants. Coal and natural gas picked up most of the slack, but renewable sources, mainly solar energy, also grew after 2011.
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