3 WHY JAPAN IS NO-LONGER A FRONT-RUNNER: DOMESTIC POLITICS …
63
option (65% for thermal energy and 35% for natural renewable energy)
with a 23% CO 2 reduction, (2) a 15% nuclear option (55% thermal and
30% natural renewable) with a 23% CO 2 reduction, and (3) a 20–25%
nuclear option (50% for thermal and 25–30% for renewable) with a 25%
CO 2 reduction (Enerugi-kankyo kaigi [EEC] 2012, pp. 8–12).
The government solicited public input through collecting public
comments, holding public hearings, conducting opinion polls, and
holding deliberative polls from 2 July to 12 August in 2012 (Asahi
Shimbun 2012). During this period, the Noda government received
89,124 public comments and it made notes regarding 7000 of these
comments. About 90% of respondents endorsed the zero nuclear option.
Public hearings were held in 11 cities from 14 July and 4 August with
the participation of 1447 people in total, 68% of whom supported the
zero nuclear option. The deliberative poll included three separate surveys:
a phone survey and written questionnaire surveys before and after the
debate forum. In the phone survey, 32.6% of the respondents supported
the zero nuclear option, and 285 of the respondents to the phone survey
attended the debate forum. In the questionnaire survey before the debate,
41% of the participants endorsed the zero option, but following the
debate, 46.7% of them supported the zero option. 7 This result differed
from the government’s preference for the 15% nuclear option (Nihon
Keizai Shimbun 2012). In short, after having received information about
nuclear power plants, listening to experts’ opinions, and having a debate,
more people became concerned about nuclear safety.
The Second Abe Administration’s Energy and Climate Change Policies. The LDP won a landslide victory in the Lower House election of
December 16, 2012, and formed a coalition government with Komeito.
The LDP’s electoral strategists were aware that the election was more
a vote against the DPJ’s mismanagement of economic affairs, security
policies (e.g., the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands territorial dispute and the
relocation of the US airbase from Futenma), and the triple disasters of
the earthquake, tsunami, and meltdown of three nuclear reactors at the
Fukushima nuclear power plant than a positive support for the LDP. Abe
himself learned from the failure of his first administration (2006–2007),
which attempted to promote his conservative and historical revisionist
policies, such as promoting constitutional reform by insisting that the
current constitution was imposed by the US occupation.
63
option (65% for thermal energy and 35% for natural renewable energy)
with a 23% CO 2 reduction, (2) a 15% nuclear option (55% thermal and
30% natural renewable) with a 23% CO 2 reduction, and (3) a 20–25%
nuclear option (50% for thermal and 25–30% for renewable) with a 25%
CO 2 reduction (Enerugi-kankyo kaigi [EEC] 2012, pp. 8–12).
The government solicited public input through collecting public
comments, holding public hearings, conducting opinion polls, and
holding deliberative polls from 2 July to 12 August in 2012 (Asahi
Shimbun 2012). During this period, the Noda government received
89,124 public comments and it made notes regarding 7000 of these
comments. About 90% of respondents endorsed the zero nuclear option.
Public hearings were held in 11 cities from 14 July and 4 August with
the participation of 1447 people in total, 68% of whom supported the
zero nuclear option. The deliberative poll included three separate surveys:
a phone survey and written questionnaire surveys before and after the
debate forum. In the phone survey, 32.6% of the respondents supported
the zero nuclear option, and 285 of the respondents to the phone survey
attended the debate forum. In the questionnaire survey before the debate,
41% of the participants endorsed the zero option, but following the
debate, 46.7% of them supported the zero option. 7 This result differed
from the government’s preference for the 15% nuclear option (Nihon
Keizai Shimbun 2012). In short, after having received information about
nuclear power plants, listening to experts’ opinions, and having a debate,
more people became concerned about nuclear safety.
The Second Abe Administration’s Energy and Climate Change Policies. The LDP won a landslide victory in the Lower House election of
December 16, 2012, and formed a coalition government with Komeito.
The LDP’s electoral strategists were aware that the election was more
a vote against the DPJ’s mismanagement of economic affairs, security
policies (e.g., the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands territorial dispute and the
relocation of the US airbase from Futenma), and the triple disasters of
the earthquake, tsunami, and meltdown of three nuclear reactors at the
Fukushima nuclear power plant than a positive support for the LDP. Abe
himself learned from the failure of his first administration (2006–2007),
which attempted to promote his conservative and historical revisionist
policies, such as promoting constitutional reform by insisting that the
current constitution was imposed by the US occupation.