Japanese govt wants public to rely on nuclear power

Japan's government is rushing to restart two nuclear reactors by next month to convince the public that atomic energy is vital.

Experts say is there is concern that surviving a nuclear free summer would make it hard to convince the public that atomic energy is indispensable.

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and three cabinet ministers are to meet for a third time to discuss the possible restarts of the No. 3 and No. 4 reactors at Kansai Electric Power Co's Ohi plant in Fukui, western Japan - a region dubbed the "nuclear arcade" for the string of atomic plants that dot its coast.

Trade Minister Yukio Edano, who holds the energy portfolio, could travel to Fukui as early as Sunday to seek local approval for the restarts, Japanese media said.

If approved, the restarts would be the first since a huge earthquake and tsunami triggered the radiation crisis at Tokyo Electric Power's Fukushima plant a year ago, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate.

"They want to avoid setting a precedent of the country operating without nuclear power because it will create a huge barrier in terms of restarts," said Jeffrey Kingston, director of Asian Studies at Temple University's Tokyo campus.

"People will question why we need it," he said.

For more, click here.