[nacker]

The conclusion of the WSJ was: "The great tragedy of the Fukushima accident is that Japan shut down all its nuclear reactors. Even though officials have now turned two back on, the hardships and economic disruptions induced by this policy will be enormous and will dwarf any danger from the reactors themselves."

The conclusion of The Corbett Report was: "Along with the tragic loss of life, the destruction of homes, farms, businesses and property, and the beginning of the Fukushima nuclear crisis, the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami exposed the biggest secret of all: that the myth of the necessity of nuclear power in Japan is just that. A myth."

http://www.corbettreport.com/mp3/episode237_fukushimas_bigge...

[Natsu]

I question that conclusion. The power shortages have been quite troubling.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2012/03/12030...

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201207...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18468685

[nacker]

I read your links. I know the audio is almost an hour, so I don't expect you to have listened before you posted.

According to Mr. Corbett, who lives in Japan, the predicted shortages did not in fact materialize this summer, and in fact, a SURPLUS of power was reported. He doesn't assert that without the 50 plants currently offline there will be no power shortfall. Most of the report is about alternatives such as solar, geothermal, thorium, and wave power.

The point is that Japan has gone over a year now with almost NO nuclear power, and the sky has not fallen. There are alternatives. There are also large corporate/governmental interests who PREFER the present nuclear policy, and that policy is now opposed by a large number of the Japanese people.

Did you personally suffer any consequences? Are you perhaps suspicious of TEPCO, or the WSJ's motives?

[Natsu]

Left out of that story are all the sacrifices people had to make to conserve power. That said, Thorium is a promising power source. Just don't tell anyone that it's nuclear power.

[pheon]

"that the myth of the necessity of nuclear power in Japan is just that. A myth"

This is just wrong. Japan is importing natural gas at prices x2-x5 higher than before. Causing Japans Trade balance (positive for nearly 30 years) to swing negative which is going to cause un-known and negative consequences for economy if this continues.

Energy both in availability and price is the economic engine that drives developed nations... we just replaced our Toyota to a expensive but nice BMW - somethings going to give.

[nacker]

"This is just wrong. Japan is importing natural gas at prices x2-x5 higher than before. Causing... ".

Correlation, causation... You might want to take into account that there are many other economic factors which influence that, such as the ongoing global banking crisis, and Japan's debt ratio of 220 percent of gross domestic product, according to the International Monetary Fund, by far the largest ratio of any Group of Seven country.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-04/japan-s-debt-sustai...

This is not a result of gas imports. I can only assume that you are not familiar with Japan's economic problems before Fukushima if you think they are.

Your personal car analogy is cute, but not very relevant.

[pheon]

Japans debt is largely domestic (Japan Post / JGB) thus has little influence on the trade balance.

Banking crisis has been going on since 2008 thus why didnt the trade balance suddenly fall this year instead of 2008/2009/2010

What is your explanation for the sudden change in trade balance?

[nacker]

Could it be that you just replaced your Toyota to a expensive but nice BMW?