Global Energy Policy Research

Whaling and Dolphin drive fishing continues to be criticized. Dolphin hunting in Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture is depicted critically in the film ‘the Cove’, which won the Academy Award for the Best Documentary Feature in 2010.

Caldeira et al., a group of four meteorologists, released an open letter to government policymakers worldwide regarding the necessity of developing nuclear power to prevent global warming driven climate change. This has drawn opposition around the world, but let us take a look that the dissent of Prof. Jusen Asuka et al. in Japan.

If our planet is to be home to ten billion or more people, how we treat the environment will have to change markedly. Unless education is improved to the point that at least some in the electorate engage with the underlying science, society will not be aware of what needs to be done or how to do it. This is not just a matter of spreading exciting science through the media – we need to build basic education with confidence and based on serious numbers, in the same way we examine our personal finances and the economy.

”The current state of promising research into extraction of uranium from seawater” (in Japanese and in English). An article by Noriaki Seko, researcher at the Quantum Beams Science Directorate of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency. Current state of uranium from seawater is an important research, which has not been reported much. Ocean could become a place to obtain mineral resources for Japan.

While humanity has a close connection with the ocean, it can also be called a world that has much left to uncover. As much as the ocean is unknown, so too does it hold great potential, and it used not only as a food store, but also holds great energy resources.

Review of Electric Utility Industry Law focusing on separation of electrical power production from power distribution and transmission and regional monopoly is considered. In June national assembly, it was dropped due to incomplete deliberation, yet, Abe Administration intends to re-submit it. However, would its enforcement have merit? Contribution by Kazuo Ishikawa, former METI official, who propose policies in neutral position. Ishikawa was once concerned in the system reform. This contribution will be in the series of 3 columns. Most people argue that review of separation of electrical power production from power distribution and transmission and monopoly will create competition and reduce power rates, this first column inspects whether this is true.

”Energy Issues: Necessary information does not reach Politicians – Glancing back at harms of political initiative” by Takaaki Ishii, GEPR editor. (in Japanese.). In all issues, the term “political initiative” is used these days, however, is it right? This article considers appropriate decision making on energy policy, centering on 25% CO2 reduction target under the Hatoyama administration.

Agora Incorporated operators of GEPR, broadcast video content on the Agora Channel. On May 17, it broadcast a dialog on the theme of energy policy and the shale gas revolution between former Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Nobuo Tanaka and Director Nobuo Ikeda.

“Haven’t we forgotten Energy Security? – Impact of Shale Gas Revolution” (in Japanese. English translation coming soon). Article based on Agora Channel broadcast on May 17th, “Energy Policy - Now is the time for a shift: Shale revolution saves Japan ” inviting Nobuo Tanaka, former Executive Director of International Energy Agency, a talk with Nobuo Ikeda, Director, Agora. Essence of the discussion was that with progress of shale gas revolution, environment surrounding global energy is changing significantly. Mr. Tanaka analyzes current situation in Japan with stop of nuclear, depending energy supply on thermal power as “The risk on the supply side is increasing”. He appeals for the importance of considering energy issue with wide view, that “Japan should examine diversification of the energy supply, while considering impact of the shale gas revolution”.

The Japanese Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) uses the same Japanese name with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Unfortunately, the quality of Japanese NRA is completely low, comparing with that of US-NRC.

”Nuclear Radiation – friend or enemy? Its safety and its benefits at low levels justify its wider acceptance”(in English and Japanese translation), by a worldwide group of Scientists for the Public Understanding of Radiation (SPUR), provided by Emeritus Professor Wade Allison, University of Oxford.

Last week, we introduced following articles.

In addition to the disaster due to the earthquake and tsunami, the Great East Japan Earthquake two years ago also brought another big disaster: the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. This accident caused radioactive contamination in neighboring towns and cities as well as the tragedy that even now, two years later, many residents cannot return to their own homes. Moreover, reactor decommissioning will reportedly take 40 years.

”Electric Power Industry: Reorganization is needed more than separation of electrical power production from power distribution and transmission – looking towards the future of nuclear power”(in Japanese). An interview with Kazuo Ishikawa, a policy maker. The government hammered out electricity liberalization by 2020 centering on separation of electrical power production from power distribution and transmission. However, would this have the necessary effect for consumers and the company of ‘reducing electricity price’? Furthermore, nothing has been decided on nuclear power generation. Will consistent policy be carried out? Ishikawa argues rather than that there is cost merit by the expansion of scale, and nuclear power should be separated and its government control in the new company.

“Decontamination of Fukushima, 1 millisievert target should be reconsidered”(in Japanese). After the nuclear accident, the target to make the annual exposed dose of 1mSv was set in Fukushima. As a result, decontamination is progressing very slowly and reconstruction is delayed. Contribution by Takaaki Ishii, journalist and fellow, Agora Institute, outlines present conditions and appeals its revision.

It is two years from the Great East Japan Earthquake disaster. We would like to extend our deepest condolence and sympathy for the victims of the disaster and of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

“Shale Gas Revolution and its Impact” (in Japanese). The shale gas is attracting worldwide attention today. This article is a contribution from Prof. Koichi Iwama, Wako University, who is known as one of the first energy analyst to analyze this. It shows its influence and problem intelligibly.

“Failure of Abenomix with burden of energy cost? – Report on Agora channel”　(Japanese only). GEPR’s body Agora now broadcasts Agora Channel (in Japanese) every Friday evening from 21:00　on net TV. On February 22, inviting Kazuo Ishikawa, former METI, Nobuo Ikeda, president of Agora Inc. discussed current energy policy. Due to recognition of active fault by the Nuclear Regulation Authority, electric power companies have fallen into financial crisis. The LDP administration does not seem to touch nuclear issue until the next Upper House election is over, so that not to cause friction. However, this could have significant adverse effect to overall economy, and top priority of the administration “Economic reform with Abenomics” could fail.

An economist Tatsuo Hatta contributed a column, “Energy Source Provision – from zero emission subsidies to carbon tax” (in Japanese). As you can see from examples of nuclear power and renewable energies, government’s support for energy in Japan are mostly in form of subsidies. Until now, this has been associated with pork barrel politics. Prof. Hatta questions this, and discusses validity of carbon tax. In addition to the effect of the measure against global warming which is an important issue of energy, the carbon tax attracts attention as a source of revenue of a new form in many countries.

We present columns on nuclear power and spent nuclear fuel issues.

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority is reconstructing systems such as establishing new safe installation criteria of a nuclear power plant. Although activity improving safety of nuclear power plants in Japan after Fukushima disaster is to be admired, strengthening of the regulation which only looks at active faults is being considered. Is effort which only looks at one aspect appropriate?

Months of dramatic press reports of radioactive leakage from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant in Japan have carried an apparently dire safety message; and industry, governments and the public worldwide have reacted that, at whatever cost, such an accident should never happen again. But, this is a mistake. Another accident like Fukushima, somewhere, sometime, should be avoided but would represent no global disaster.

The Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant disaster has made Japan reconsider the role of nuclear power in its future. But for some reason we hear little about the non-disaster at the nearby Onagawa nuclear plant. What did not happen at Onagawa during the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami events could be much more relevant to Japan's nuclear power future than what happened at Fukushima.

Confronted with the wide-spread popular resentment towards nuclear energy in the wake of the March 2011 severe accident, the Japanese government under the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has taken steps to drastically reduce the country’s dependence upon nuclear energy: a base-load source of electricity at the level of 30-35% prior to the accident and even anticipated to grow up to 50% by 2030.

Kansai Electric Power (KEPCO) issued a press release on June 21 with the title [trans.] “Negawatt Trading for Large Customers Outside Kansai Electric Power’s Service Area.” The press release is available on the KEPCO website for further reading of the details　(in Japanese only). This announcement relates to the expansion of negawatt trading, which KEPCO calls the “Negawatt Plan” within its service area, to the part of the 60Hz power grid in Japan comprising the service areas of Chubu Electric Power, Hokuriku Electric Power, and Chugoku Electric Power.

Since the tsunami and ensuing reactor accidents at Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant in March last year, the author has freely conducted, as a scientist in the discipline of radiological protection science, on-site radiological hygiene surveys in an autonomous format apart from any organization. In the beginning, the most feared short-term nuclear hazard (risk factor) was considered to be thyroid doses from radioactive iodine. Tests were completed in April in last year for 40 evacuees from Namie-machi plus residents from the city of Nihonmatsu and Iitate Village. The results of these 66 individuals confirmed low doses of 8 mSv or less, approximately one thousandth of the Chernobyl accident’s maximum thyroid radiation dose of 50 Sv.

The author is a retired researcher, born in 1944 and currently 68 years old. After retirement, I established a start-up company NuSAC, venture company No. 55 of Tokyo Institute of Technology. I investigate nuclear energy technologies, and am currently recommending decontamination technologies for Fukushima Prefecture. One could call me an old researcher.

Energy and Environmental Council of Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, determined “Innovative Strategies for Energy and the Environment” on September 18th. It aims for zero-nuclear by 2013s and so on, and decided on long-term energy policy plan. Criticisms are growing for its feasibility and so on.

“Innovative Strategies for Energy and the Environment” (hereafter “Strategies”) has been determined by the state Energy and Environmental Council. Usually, bills in accordance with this are submitted to the Diet, and a new policy can be made. However, this time, since the Democratic Party of Japan administration is running scarce, it is not known to what degree this will be implemented as a bill. With less than one year of debate for such a long term problem as the energy policy until the 2030s, it is incomprehensible to make a last-minute decision during the waning years of the administration.

Last year's earthquake has stirred up a vigorous debate about the cost of generating electricity. It has already been introduced (through news stories) that the Commission for the Investigation of the Costs of the Cabinet Office's Energy and Environment Conference reevaluated the cost of generating electricity with nuclear power plants last December. But what is important here is to fairly evaluate "the inci　dental costs of electricity generation" for all sources of electricity and compare them in a table.

In May last year, then Prime Minister Naoto Kan requested shut down of Hamaoka nuclear power satation of Chubu Electric Power, saying that it is very likely to be the Tokai earthquake. As a result, the Company begun safety improvement works mainly tsunami measures on a scale of 140 billion yen. He reports the present condition at Hamaoka.

On June 15, 2012, the House of Representatives in Japan passed the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Bill. The Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito reviewed and revised the draft put forth by the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, such that, for instance, the Commission’s organizational structure would instead be an “Article 3 Committee,” or a government agency with strong independence. Considered an improvement over the original draft, the final bill with all revisions intact appears likely to become law. Beginning with the appointments, the challenges now are how to actually staff and build the organization, and how to enhance genuine competency among the staff. This column discusses the appropriate format of a nuclear regulatory agency with a mission to protect citizens’ lives, in order to prevent nuclear disasters like the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident to recur.

In the final report by the government's Investigation Committee on the Accident at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Stations of Tokyo Electric Power Company, there are some important yet less than eye-catching findings. The account of the incident involving the deaths of approximately 50 patients at Futaba Hospital (Okuma Town, Fukushima Prefecture) and its associated nursing facilities stretches over eight pages.

A review in energy policy looks more and more likely, and hopes for renewable energies are growing. We sought the comments of Takejiro Sueyoshi, special advisor to the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), who is also an opinion leader in environmental and energy issues.

Receiving the request of then-Prime Minister Naoto Kan, Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station of Chubu Electric Power (Omaezaki, Shizuoka Prefecture) shut down its reactor operations in May last year. Today, at a cost of 140 billion yen, large-scale construction work on tsunami countermeasures and other improvements continue at the site in an effort to enhance safety further. GEPR editorial staff visited the site in early August to report on the developments.

I would like to express my heartfelt concerns toward everyone who has been affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, particularly the evacuees who have been subjected to the problems associated with the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant.

It is common knowledge that the world is set to go from six to nine billion people in the next 20-30 years. In order to cope with the energy challenges encompassed in this daunting thought, there are three questions which many nations must face.

At the April 27, 2012 conference by the the feed-in tariff rates appraisal committee of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the committee chairman's plan for a feed-in tariff (hereinafter FIT) to be enacted in July was approved. Under this plan, energy generated by photovoltaic means (hereinafter PV) of less than 10kW, for example, will be purchased at a price of 42 JPY/kWh for 10 years (however, for household use, when the extant subsidy of 35,000 JPY/kW is taken into account, it amounts to approximately 48 JPY), while amounts greater than 10kW will be purchased at 42 JPY/kW for 20 years (Table 1). The expectation is that the FIT will create a large scale demand for renewable energy, and will simultaneously cause a decrease in the unit price of products and lead to the stimulation of related industries and job creation through increased demand.

For nearly half of a century, I had made it my job to promote nuclear power, but no sooner had I retired than I myself was forced to evacuate by the nuclear incident. It is quite the ironic story.

The English version of the official report released by the Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission (NAIIC) of the National Diet of Japan contains a preface message by the chairman with the following passage.

Debate about the nuclear power and the world after Fukushima nuclear accident continues in Japan. We introduce topics for readers to think about the issue of atomic energy.

Smart meters, which transmits detailed information of electricity usage, is attracting attention as means for power saving. In addition, there is expectation that new industry may occur by using these information. Korean information appliance venture "Nuri Telecom" installed smart meters to 270,000 houses in Sweden. Mr. Masayuki Suzuki, president of Japanese subsidiary contributed "Will Smart Meter Change Society? - From the experience of installing smart meters to 270,000 houses."

The Japanese government proposed policy options in June about the future of energy policy and nuclear power, and people begun to debate these issues. GEPR provides necessary information in order to consider them appropriately.

It has been some time since I started studying the energy supply problems in Japan from the standpoint of the consumer-side and I have never been so busy than in the last year. In April 2011, after the Great East Japan Earthquake, I set up a website called “Power Savings in an Emergency” with other volunteers in order to organize and provide information on power savings. Subsequently many people have accessed it.

All nuclear power plant in Japan had been stopped from May this year under the influence of Fukushima nuclear accident. Kansai Electric Power resumed operation of Oi power plant on July 1st. However, electrical power is likely to be insufficient this summer, because of a tightening of inspections and public objection.

The "Renewable Energy Buyback Program" is to be implemented in July of this year in Japan. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's Procurement Cost Appraisal Committee calculates that the renewable energy purchase price will "equal ¥42 per kilowatt hour," and will be taking public commentary until the first of June. This is indistinguishable from the energy companies' "fully distributed cost method" of recent infamy, and it is a system that guarantees solar energy profits for power companies. This would not be a problem if it were a reasonable price, but the current status of the world's solar cell market indicates otherwise.

There are numerous points of issues regarding the nuclear power. Among them, we introduce columns about public regulations and external environmental costs.

METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) has pronounced policy for the complete liberalization of, and separating transmission and generation of electric power. This initiative is not recent. Actually, it was the final target for MITI (predecessor of METI), which started the liberalization of electric power in the 1990s. The third program reform of 2003 established the electric power wholesale exchange, and liberalized electricity retailing to high-voltage customers of 50 kW or more. The next step envisioned was complete liberalization. The fourth program reform in 2008, however, deferred the liberalization of low-voltage (small accounts). In addition, the separation of transmission and generation met with strong resistance from the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan (FEPCO), and came to nothing.

Though it is possible to bring up the idea of individual responsibility, when one thinks of the negative influence that is spreading, as a member of the Japanese community, isn't it necessary to do something to help the society as a whole? However, to confront this, it is necessary to understand people's emotions.

GEPR introduce various opinions about Energy problems. We interviewed Mr. Takejiro Sueyoshi, a special adviser UNEP・FI and an opinion leader on environmental issues in Japan.

Starting with the Kansai Electric's Oi Nuclear Plant, there is an ongoing state of disarray surrounding the restarting of nuclear power plants across the country. The government has been trying to proceed with restarting the reactors, but with local mayors and residents standing in opposition, it is still unclear whether this will happen. Then on May 5, all of Japan's reactors were shut down.

In Japan, restart of nuclear power plant has become a political issue since after the Fukushima accident inspection period of nuclear power plants had been prolonged. This is because in Kansai region, there were governors who opposed.

The government has decided to institute electrical power-demand countermeasures over an extended three-month period running from July to September. Businesses and homes will be asked to broadly conserve electricity. Kansai Electric Power (KEPCO), in particular, is facing a 15% power conservation requirement referenced to peak demand during the summer of 2010—a consequence of not being permitted to restart Oi Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4. Although a power usage restriction order was avoided, business activities, home life, and consumption could sustain a serious negative impact in the Kansai Region, whose weakened economy will be further harmed.

The procurement cost appraisal committee (chaired by Professor Kazuhiro Ueta of Kyoto University) of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry that has studied the details of the renewable energy feed-in tariff (FIT) beginning in July of this year has submitted a proposal to set the purchase price for solar energy at 42 JPY/kWh.

Concern of power shortages during summer is feared in Japan, because of the delay in resuming nuclear power plants operation. GEPR welcomes various opinions.

This Research Group considers the specifications for smart meters that TEPCO is presently studying procurement under have the following four drawbacks.

The radiation problems that followed the Great East Japan Earthquake and the subsequent nuclear power plant disaster is truly an international problem. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), a non-governmental organization that advises governments and international institutions on regulatory matters on radiation protection, is keeping watch over the course of the nuclear disaster with great concern, and taken occasions to make necessary recommendations.

I live in the Inagi City, located on the west side of the 23-ward block shaping central Tokyo. Compared to before the Great East Japan Earthquake, my community has experienced virtually no change in its ambient air radiation dosage to date. Matching this fact with current scientific wisdom, I consider any risk originating from the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident to be quite small among the various circumstantial risks in raising children here.

A number of observers criticized FIT that is a payback policy program to promote renewable energy which starts this July in Japan. It forces power companies to purchase renewable energy generated such as by solar power. Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is planning that the purchase prices of solar power to be 42 yen (about 50 US cents) per 1kWh. The price is high and would be a burden to the Japanese economy.

Japan's last operating commercial nuclear reactor, Tomari No.3 in Hokkaido, went offline on 5th May for mandatory routine maintenance. The nation undergoes situation without atomic-generated electricity for the first time in 42 years. This is because restarts of nuclear power plants are difficult.

A growing interest in the smart grid and smart metering, which can enable the smart grid, has emerged in Japan since the Great East Japan Earthquake and ensuing nuclear power plant accident in Fukushima. The current situation is analyzed, and the author offers his insights.

On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake struck, causing an accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. This accident resulted in radioactive material resulting as product of fission in the nuclear reactor to be released into the atmosphere, contaminating a large area.

Japan's energy situation has changed fundamentally after the accident in Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power. One of the changes is in a stable supply of electricity. The electricity could be used freely with just turning a switch. However, from now on, there is a possibility that electric power shortage could be constant by stopping nuclear power plants.

In the midst of the early March season of the plum blossoms traditionally held for prayers of good health of young girls, a rather shocking news story came out. According to the Kofu Regional Justice Bureau, a woman who evacuated from Fukushima Prefecture to Yamanashi Prefecture in June last year has filed for relief. Her child was refused entrance to a nursery in Yamanashi, a consequent victim of rumors associated with the nuclear power plant accident. As its reason, the nursery explained that the facility could not provide a response in the event that another parent expressed any anxiety over the nuclear incident. The woman was further requested to voluntarily abstain from letting her child play at a park near her evacuation site. The woman is now living outside of Yamanashi Prefecture as a result.

Radioactive materials have been diffused over East Japan after the Fukushima nuclear plant accident. Many Japanese are concerned about them. They have risk of causing cancer, and we need to be cautious. However, negative effects to human health by these materials are limited, from what has been observed to date. GEPR editorial staffs provides a column "Comparing Risks of Everyday Lives to Radiation Risks"

All of the reasons for promoting nuclear power plants, including the incidence of accidents, costs, and climate change response through reduced CO2 emissions, are entirely forced logic at this point in time. Reasoned logic falls away in the presence of forced logic. Consider the following specific pieces of evidence.

Radioactivity panic in Japan is calming down on the surface. However, it still affects the society, being a reason for rejecting Tohoku debris for disposal, for example. Why is this thought born? Kosei Kato, a sociologist, contributes a column “Why science can not persuade against radioactivity panic." (English translation coming soon)

The most important agenda items associated with the pending TEPCO “problem” are as follows:

Smart grit is attracting attention, which is a new grid concept combined with information and communication technology. Japan confronts shortage of energy supply after the Great East Japan Earthquake. And government and electric power companies intend to transmit electricity to meet the demand by using this new grid system.

I have always loved nature, and perhaps because I have long been active in Oze conservation efforts at Tokyo Electric Power Company where I worked until the end of last year, I have longed to see energy being provided by the sun's blessings. It is a faith in a sun, or “sun worship” so to speak.

More Japanese are beginning to feel the importance of dealing calmly with problems regarding Fukushima nuclear plant accident. GEPR introduce such movements this week.

1)Professor Takamitsu Kohzuma, College of Science, Ibaraki University, has measured the amount of radiation in various areas since the nuclear accident at Fukushima, and he has given 110 lectures to the public. GEPR editorial staffs have deep respects for his effort.

Renowned for his academic achievement and medical treatment work, Dr. Hakumei Oh sent GEPR a contributing article expressing his concern over the propagation of scientifically groundless information that is inciting a crisis atmosphere with respect to the current situation of radioactivity and health in Japan.

Since the release of radioactive materials from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant, much information on radioactive substances is flying around in various media. At the same time, so-called experts are sending out scientific data or opinions based on such via television, newspapers, and their personal blogs and so on.

Global Energy Policy Research (GEPR), a virtual think tank on the web run by Agora Incorporated , in partnership with International Environmental Economics Institute (IEEI) ,will collaborate in research and contents sharing from this March, 2012.

One year has passed from March 11th, since the Great East Japan Earthquake. Reconstructions are progressing gradually. However, the nuclear accident have continued to affect Japanese society.

Human beings were powerless to halt the tsunami that took nearly 20,000 lives last March 11. But as the anniversary of that day approaches, the survivors may be facing another disaster—and this time, the Japanese people have the capacity to help.

It is soon a year from the Great East Japan Earthquake. Japan is gradually recovering from the earthquake and the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

It is almost one year since the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. Although time has passed, anxiety about radioactivity has not disappeared from the Japanese society.

Flooded by the large tsunami of 3.11, the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant lost its cooling function, which caused its nuclear fuel to melt partially. Subsequently, hydrogen explosions outside the containment vessels caused the release of mainly radioactive gases, which contaminated Fukushima Prefecture and neighboring regions.

It is almost a year since the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant accident. Although that much time has passed, there are incorrect information circulating over radiation, resulting in Japanese society still fearing health damage which could be caused by radioactive materials in Fukushima and East Japan.

Ever since the severe nuclear power plant accident of 3.11, Japan and the entire world — to greater and lesser degrees — are now facing the need for alternatives to nuclear power. A lively discussion over a nuclear-free and fossil-fuel free future has ensued, which portends a shift to renewable energy like solar power generation. Many arguments assert this possibility for the mid- and long-term, even if it is impossible now. Many other arguments assert achievement of this possibility mid- to long-term, with efficient usage, during the unavoidable interim, of natural gas, which imposes a much smaller environmental burden (starting with CO2 emissions) than other fossil fuels.

Since the Fukushima nuclear accident, the amount of electric power generation by nuclear in Japan has plummeted. The government and the power companies have increased the amount of generation by Liquid Natural Gas (LNG). This trend is likely to continue.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has drafted a table of reference standards for radioactive substances in food since the nuclear power plant accident, and is currently soliciting public opinion. The tentative reference standard of cesium (total for 134 and 137) after the nuclear power plant accident was 500 Bq/kg. The proposed table offers a stricter standard, and sets the value at 100 Bq/kg or lower, depending on the food product, in order to hold lifetime internal radiation dosage to 100 mSv or less.

The numbers of people, who are anxious about health damages by internal radiation exposure, have been increasing in Japan since Fukushima nuclear power plant accident.

The Feed-in tariff (FIT), which will be enforced in Japan this July, is a system for paying a cost-based price for a renewable electricity and shift its cost to electricity charges.

Mr. Gates has kindly permitted GEPR to introduce his column "The Energy Research Imperative" from his site "The Gatesnote", which was originally published in the Science magazine. He pointed out the cost for new energy technologies are "too large for venture capital and traditional energy companies", because it needs long time frame. He hopes to be able to change the form of American society which uses 1 billion dollars per day for foreign oil by an effective government support.

Over the past three decades, U.S. government funding for energy innovation has dropped significantly while other countries such as China, Germany, and Japan have dramatically stepped up their investments in clean energy technologies. The U.S. is uniquely positioned to lead in energy innovation, but only if the federal government significantly increases spending on clean energy R&D.

It's hard to find a day when the words "smart grid" don't appear in the newspaper. Usage of this term is becoming pervasive, although the general understanding of its meaning may be limited to just a new kind of power grid. The idea of "smart grid" is not new, but its significance is new in the sense that the whole world has focused attention on it as a key plank of Green New Deal introduced by the Obama administration.

Japanese people continue discussion and review of energy policy. One of the issues is the separation between electric power generation and power transmission. Electric power companies in Japan have operated both roles in its region.

Since the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident, media and government have rekindled the debate on the separation of power generation and transmission. Such a separation, however, rests on the availability of excess power generation capacity, and has the purpose of promoting competition in the domain of power generation. Since excess capacity has dried up and continuing power shortages are a concern, Japan is hardly in a position to be debating this matter.

In response to the Fukushima nuclear power plants accident, the Japanese government and people begun to review its energy policy. Mr. Nobuo Tanaka, former Executive Director of IEA (International Energy Agency), contributed a column "Reflecting on Japan’s Energy Policy Review".

After enduring the Great East Japan Earthquake, the ensuing tsunami, and the resulting accident at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plants, our nation has embarked on an energy policy review from the ground up. I look forward to bold efforts that proceed with needed reviews, which should follow from accurately assessing the advantages and challenges of the energy policy to date, and which consider the current circumstances of Japan’s energy position.

The medical research of survivors from the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki has been used by governments to plan policies on national health care or radiation restrictions. This research surveys 280,000 people over 50 years. There is no similar case to this large scale medical research on radiation exposure.

After the nuclear accident in Fukushima, most of the Japanese people have strong interests in the following question, "Will there be any health hazards by low-dose radiation?" GEPR staffs consider that the potentials for major health hazard in Fukushima and Japan are very little, because of the low radiation readings in Japan and current medical findings. GEPR will continue to provide correct information for Japanese and global citizens.

Although nearly ten months have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake, the ensuing "radiation panic” seems to be growing more serious by the day, instead of calming down. We see a tearful academic professional speaking out on the dangers, and a physician just emphasizing safety. In short, we find the positions of experts divided, while the "common knowledge” of the vested interests enveloping the nation’s nuclear power plants has made many of people skeptical of the opinions of these experts. Meanwhile, I have haplessly been labeled the "official’s scientist,” despite having no connections to TEPCO (the Tokyo Electric Power Company) or the Japanese Government. But the question remains: Why is expert opinion so divided over the effects of radiation exposure?

[SUMMARY] (by Editorial staffs) National radiation regulations are very restrictive in most countries, to response the fear of people. International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommended that national radiation regulations should require that any exposure be kept As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA). There are no reasonable reasons to adopt such regulations. People in Fukushima confront the highly mental pressure. It is evident that ALARA-based regulations should be reconsidered.

We, the Global Energy Policy Research (GEPR) will notify the latest update on the site, academic articles, and important energy news once a week on this column " From Editors”.