The Japanese government’s nuclear energy strategy should be aimed at maximising, rather than reducing the country’s dependency on nuclear energy – while also making plans for the construction of new reactors, the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum has said in response to a draft of the country’s strategic energy plan published in early September for public comment.

The Tokyo-based industry group said it did not support proposals in the draft plan for “reducing dependency on nuclear power as much as possible”.

Jaif said: In order to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 while ensuring stable and inexpensive energy, nuclear energy – already an established technology – should be utilised to the maximum extent as a low-carbon power source on the major premise of its safety.

“There should not be mention of ‘reducing dependency on nuclear power as much as possible’,” Jaif said.