The Abe administration seems to be reverting to an old energy policy by revisiting the old policymaking process. The draft of the nation's new Basic Energy Plan, put together by the Ministry of Trade, Economy and Industry, states that nuclear power will remain an important source of energy for Japan after all, because it is said to be economically viable — even in light of the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.
The draft marks a turnaround from the Democratic Party of Japan-led administration's policy of phasing out nuclear power by the end of the 2030s. It is the outcome of discussions among interested parties and experts appointed by the bureaucracy, with bureaucrats setting the direction of the discussions.
It is a return to the same old policymaking process conducted under the previous rule of the Liberal Democratic Party. The Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to formalize the plan as early as January.
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