Japan Govt to Keep Promoting Nuclear Power Generation

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is set to keep promoting nuclear power generation despite Friday’s court order to suspend the operations of a nuclear reactor in central Japan.

In a landmark ruling, Kanazawa District Court ordered that the operations of the No. 2 rector at a nuclear power plant in Shika Town, Ishikawa Prefecture, be halted because the reactor has a design flaw and may not withstand a powerful earthquake, upholding a petition filed by local residents against Hokuriku Electric Power Co. .

The power supplier, which operates the power plant, expressed its intention to appeal against the district court ruling.

The government will wait and see further developments in the case, said an official of the Natural Resources and Energy Agency.

Meanwhile, a senior official of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said nuclear power will remain Japan’s core energy source despite the latest court ruling.

The government plans to keep the proportion of nuclear power generation in the nation’s total electricity supply at 30 to 40 pct or higher after 2030.END