New Japanese minister finds energy strategy 'contradictory'

New education and science minister Makiko Tanaka questioned the phasing out nuclear power generation by the 2030s without terminating the long-standing policy to recycle spent fuel.

This makes the pathway to achieving that goal to be unclear.

The government has announced its intention to continue the fuel recycling program and to allow construction of reactors already approved by authorities.

"It is very contradictory," said Tanaka.

Continuing the spent fuel policy is seen as reflecting the government's consideration of the repercussions on local governments that host related facilities and on the United States, which has close ties with Japan's nuclear industry.

Also, by retaining Yukio Edano — who was involved in crafting the strategy — as the economy, trade and industry minister, the government indicated that there is no change in its stance to end reliance on nuclear energy in the wake of the Fukushima No. 1 disaster.

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