This Week’s Update (February 27, 2013)
1） “Failure of Abenomix with burden of energy cost? – Report on Agora channel” (Japanese only). GEPR’s body Agora now broadcasts Agora Channel (in Japanese) every Friday evening from 21:00 on net TV. On February 22, inviting Kazuo Ishikawa, former METI, Nobuo Ikeda, president of Agora Inc. discussed current energy policy. Due to recognition of active fault by the Nuclear Regulation Authority, electric power companies have fallen into financial crisis. The LDP administration does not seem to touch nuclear issue until the next Upper House election is over, so that not to cause friction. However, this could have significant adverse effect to overall economy, and top priority of the administration “Economic reform with Abenomics” could fail.
2） “A book review: ‘How to proceed Electric Power System Reform’ by Tatsuo Hatta – Gaps between theory and reality” (in Japanese) by Policy study group for electric power industry reform, an article from IEEI. Although it affirms the idea of the book, reflection of price mechanism into the electric power system, it states that there are few concrete examples that achieved this.
This Week’s Links
1） ”JAPCO Avoids Fund Shortage – major electric power co. continues support” (in Japanese). An article by Nikkei on February 23. JAPCO (the Japan Atomic Power Company) who administrate 3 nuclear power stations is in financial crisis due to the halt of its operation. Electric power companies intend to continue their support.
2） “Realistically employ safety standards and protect national interest” (in Japanese) an article by the Sankei Shimbun, February 21, 2013.
This is a contribution by Prof. Hajimu Yamana, Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University. Regarding the safety standard which the Nuclear Regulation Authority is aiming to decide in July, he questions there is no discussion with the enterprises who is to comply with nor realistically be employing.
