New leader of Japan's strongest bureaucracy: "Create society not reliant on nuclear power"

[kristopher]

Edano:Create society not reliant on nuclear power

Economy and industry minister Yukio Edano says Japan should become a society that can live without nuclear power before it can have a national debate on the need for such energy.

Edano was giving his first news conference since taking office on Monday.

He said the swift development of alternative power sources and the promotion of energy saving measures could lead to a society that does not rely on nuclear power.

He said a public debate on the necessity of nuclear plants should be initiated at that time.

Edano also...

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/13_04.html



Meanwhile, TEPCO continues to be a paragon of virtue...

TEPCO submits blacked-out manual to Diet committee

The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has submitted its accident manuals to a Diet committee with most of the contents blacked out.

The Lower House special committee investigating the nuclear disaster has asked the industry ministry to order the utility to resubmit the manuals in their original form, as required by law.

...The company turned in manuals that had been heavily redacted. Then, on Monday, it presented 3 pages, including a cover sheet, containing an index of actions to be taken in serious accidents.

But most of the index was blacked out and TEPCO collected the papers immediately after the meeting.

The company explained...

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/13_16.html

[bananas]

1. blacked-out manual?

wtf???

edit to add: that deserves to be in LBN: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4993727

[kristopher]

3. Thanks, here is a much better description of what's happened.

TEPCO's gall is amazing. The piece in the OP is about the severe accident manual that was handed over on the 12th. This article gives the context.

"...The House of Representatives Special Committee on Promotion of Science and Technology and Innovation had requested TEPCO submit two operating manuals -- one each for accidents and severe accidents -- through the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry (METI). On Sept. 7, the committee announced it had received only the first of the two manuals, the majority of which had been blacked out, prompting the body to demand TEPCO resubmit both manuals by Sept. 9.

...Meanwhile, at a meeting of the committee's directors on the same day, representatives of METI's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) revealed for the first time that under the laws governing nuclear power in Japan, the committee has the power to order TEPCO to disclose the manuals in full. As such, the committee requested the minister of economy, trade and industry issue such an order to the utility -- a legal first. The request marks the fourth time the committee has demanded TEPCO disclose the manuals.

"It is unacceptable for TEPCO to refuse to disclose these materials in the wake of this kind of disaster," committee chair Hiroshi Kawauchi said. "Furthermore, the fact that NISA knew there were legal grounds to demand the documents' disclosure but did nothing about it angered many of the committee directors."

Meanwhile, a TEPCO representative stated, "These manuals are entirely internal documents pertaining to the operation of the reactors. They are not for general publication."..."

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110913p2a00m0na016000c.html

Edano has his work cut out for him.

[bananas]

4. "revealed for the first time" - were these laws secret?

I have no doubt that TEPCO was aware of these laws (even if they were secret from the public, TEPCO would be aware of them).

[kristopher]

5. What you are witnessing ...

What you are witnessing is the conflict between a strong professional bureaucracy and a weak elected legislature. Just to highlight how radically different it is from the US, the bureaucracy in Japan is probably the most prestigious job that a top university grad can obtain, bar none. And of the different bureaucracies, none is more powerful than the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry; under which NISA was formed and is currently operating. Note that the timing of the release of this seemingly secret information related to the powers of the legislature is coincident with the assumption of the reins of power over METI by Edano, who has vowed to ensure that METI will lead the way to a renewable energy future.


One of the hopes for the Democratic Party of Japan when they finally wrested power away from the 50 year entrenched Liberal Democratic Party was that they would make government more responsive to the people, a coded reference to bringing the bureaucracy to heel.

Just to be clear, it is my opinion that the professional nature of the bureaucracy in Japan and the trust it historically enjoys actually serves the people very well on the whole, but any system where power is allowed to accumulate without oversight is bound to develop some cankers. This situation exemplifies the worst of the system.


It looks like this is going to be a multi-front campaign that includes the Environment Ministry:

Hosono to reshape nuclear policy
Minister to push for renewable energy, tougher oversight
By SETSUKO KAMIYA

New Environment Minister Goshi Hosono has vowed to reduce Japan's reliance on nuclear power but has said that halted reactors that pass stringent safety tests may be restarted if the nation's energy needs are not being met.

The 40-year-old Hosono, who is doubling as state minister in charge of handling the Fukushima nuclear crisis and compensation issues, added there is a need to separate discussions about short-term energy needs and long-term policy.

"I've been suspicious of the nuclear policy we have had, especially after March 11. I don't intend to allow the reactors to be restarted one after another. I'm going to step on the brakes," Hosono said during his first news conference earlier in September.

He has also said that ambitious pledges to slash carbon dioxide emissions should be maintained, despite the shifting stance on nuclear power.

Nuclear power has...

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110913f1.html

[kristopher]

2. "Edano's comeback ruffles feathers in industry ministry, power industry"

...The appointment of Yukio Edano as new industry minister has not gone down well with the ministry he now heads, or the electric power industry.

...According to his supporters, Edano is actually well-versed in energy issues and fully realizes the intentions of the industry ministry and the electric power industry.

Along with Kan, Edano promoted not only review of the government's energy programs but also its policies to transform Japan into a country that does not rely on nuclear power to generate electricity.

...Like Kan, Edano has a strong distrust of the industry ministry and the electric power industry....

http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201109130341.html

This is a set up for an epic clash of Japan's system where the bureaucracy sets the policies and the politicians basically do as they are told...