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May 11, 2011

Japan Abandons Plan for New Nuclear Reactors 
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Japan has scrapped a plan to obtain half of its electrical power from
nuclear energy as the nation continues to struggle with an ongoing
nuclear crisis. Thirty percent of Japan’s electrical power comes from
nuclear energy and the government had planned to raise that number to 50
percent by 2030. On Tuesday, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan
apologized for pushing a reliance on nuclear energy and said Japan will
promote renewable energy and conservation.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan: "I believe that the government shares
a large amount of responsibility due to the fact that nuclear power has
been promoted as a national energy strategy. As the head of the
government I want to deeply apologize for the fact that this accident
could not be averted."

Despite his pledge, Kan stopped short of announcing a complete
abandonment of nuclear power, instead promising to ensure safety.



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