Japan is the first country to wean itself off nuclear power.

[Bonobo]

Yesterday, for the first time in over 40 years, Japan became a country with no nuclear power generation.

It pulled the plug on the final nuclear reactor, at least for the time being.

It will be a long, hot summer and everyone here is pulling together to try to use as little energy as possible. It is called "Setsuden" (conserving energy).

The politicians are nervous because if Japan can make it with no nuclear power, it means the end to an entire nuclear power industry that obviously provides a lot of kickbacks.

Let's all support Japan in its brave effort to make a radical change, the likes of which have not been seen in any other country in the world.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012%5C05%5C05%5Cstory_5-5-2012_pg4_8

Japan switches off last nuclear power plant; will it cope?

The shutdown leaves Japan without nuclear power for the first time since 1970 and has put electricity producers on the defensive

JAPAN shuts down its last working nuclear power reactor this weekend just over a year after a tsunami scarred the nation and if it survives the summer without major electricity shortages, producers fear the plants will stay offline for good. The shutdown leaves Japan without nuclear power for the first time since 1970 and has put electricity producers on the defensive. Public opposition to nuclear power could become more deeply entrenched if non-nuclear generation proves enough to meet Japan’s needs in the peak-demand summer months.

“Can it be the end of nuclear power? It could be,” said Andrew DeWit, a professor at Rikkyo University in Tokyo who studies energy policy. “That’s one reason why people are fighting it to the death.”

Japan managed to get through the summer last year without any blackouts by imposing curbs on use in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami. Factories operated at night and during weekends to avoid putting too much stress on the country’s power grids. A similar success this year would weaken the argument of proponents of nuclear power. “They don’t have the polls on their side,” said DeWit. “Once they go through the summer without reactors, how will they fire them up? They know that, so they will try their darndest but I don’t see how.”

[malaise]

1. K & R

Go Japan!

[annabanana]

2. I wish them the very best.

It seems the terrors of all centuries land on their shores...

[derby378]

3. Within 20 years, I predict the plants will be back

There will be numerous committees and subcommittees and maybe a couple of people getting their wrists slapped, and then new plants will be built further inland and relatively isolated from major population centers.

[Bonobo]

4. And I predict this OP will have 200% less traffic than the doomsday scenario posts. nt

[pintobean]

9. Sometimes it's the singer

not the song.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/124080083#post39

[Bonobo]

12. I was locked out of that thread.

And I did, if you read closely, offer an apology if I was wrong.

I would have made it clearer had the thread not been locked. It was late, late here in Japan.

[pintobean]

14. No, it never came.

Your last post didn't indicate that you thought you were wrong.

OK, I see it, but you do not respond on that thread, so...

How does that show that you are not Jay Pinto? The same Jay Pinto who responded angrily that I messed with his name?

I am off to bed, very late here...

As to the thread being locked, I sure as hell didn't want that, but there were suggestions in the there for you. You've chosen to leave it hanging.

The bottom line - you called out an innocent person in an attempt to get me banned. When you were proven wrong, you ran away. No retraction. No correction. No honor.

[Bonobo]

15. The thread was locked.

I went to bed and woke up with the thread locked. I could do nothing.

Should I have started another thread for that purpose?

I did not see the need since the lock itself cited the fact that it was a mistaken call-out and thus I thought your name was sufficiently cleared.

I do apologize without reservation now however.

[pintobean]

17. You started a thread to call me out

You could have started a new one for the retraction/correction. Is that really too much trouble for you? If my reputation wasn't worth it to you, I would think your honor would have been.

Not many people are going to see this, and many who opened that thread didn't read it all.

[Bonobo]

18. If you feel that way so strongly, I will start one now.nt

[Bonobo]

19. Link to apology

http://www.democraticunderground.com/124086956

[ErikJ]

5. Poppycock, Germany has gone full tilt solar/wind.

and it has prevented the need for 7 new nuclear plants. Now Germany is breathing down France's neck to do the same.

[Bonobo]

7. Thanks. It is my belief that if we can make it through this summer,

then the pressure to stay off nuclear power may reach a tipping point. That's the way things are in Japan. It takes a long time and a lot to change, but once it does so, it changes in a huge way and across the boards.

Many local politicians are as vehemently opposed to nuclear power as anyone.

[ErikJ]

10. I have talked to a number of Japanese tourists/students

who speak broken English and surprisingly they seem to be kind of ignorant or unconcerned about the situation in Fukushima. I have a feeling the govt/media is not telling the Japanese much about it.

[Uncle Joe]

6. Good luck to the Japanese People,

I wish them the best.

Thanks for the thread, Bonobo.

[Fumesucker]

8. It's not like this is the first time Japan has suffered from the split atom.

I don't really consider myself a Luddite, I'm generally pro technology and I'd even be pro nuclear if I wasn't so suspicious of private enterprise in control of nuclear reactors.

But I hail Japan in this, if they can offset the nukes with efficiency gains and renewable energy it will be a remarkable achievement and could show the way for the rest of the world.

[MelungeonWoman]

11. Weaned? More like cold turkey.

Voluntarily turning off the juice is just over a year is remarkable by any standard.

“That’s one reason why people are fighting it to the death.”

People? That's a generous description.

[jimlup]

13. Yeah it helps to have an event like Fukashima ...

And unfortunately Fukashima continues to be a serious problem.

[RobertEarl]

16. Read somewhere

That nearly all the reactors in Japan had to shutdown due to damage, and that others besides Fukushima also suffered meltdowns.

One can certainly see why people do not want nukes operating on their soil. The potential damage from just Fuku could alter life on the islands forevermore. It just isn't worth it, especially considering that we do have clean and green alternatives. And that by comfortably altering our lifestyles we can remain comfortable.

Know that many of us who have been accused of being hysterical, are fully on the side of humanity not being wiped out due to commercial mistakes. We wish only the best for the people of Japan and the world.