...I do know several things that inform my line of observation. Here are some points to consider:
- Their culture has a 1400 year history of being totally self contained.
- They have coped with natural disaster more than any other "people" (clearly defined culture) on earth. The role of natural disaster is central to who they are, and that includes the process of rebuilding.
- They are the only country I'm aware of that successfully prevented both direct and economic colonialism. When confronted with attempts to impose colonialism on Japan, their response was to, with great deliberation and planning, form a new national government and with all alacrity embark on a program of modernization that transformed them from a feudal agrarian economy to a modern industrial international power within 40 years. Remember this wasn't imposed change, it was self-directed.
- After WWII their transportation, industrial and manufacturing infrastructure had been virtually wiped out - mass starvation was widespread. Within 10 years their industrial capacity - including a new electric infrastructure, was back to prewar levels. 19 years after the end of the war Tokyo was a showcase city hosting the International Olympic Games.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Shipshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiji_governmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Olympicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_history_of_Japan (note rates of GDP growth during post war era)
I'm sure you are familiar with their history since, so you can bring this into today.
If they want to shut down the nuclear fission reactors and rebuild their electric infrastructure around renewables, they will be able to do so far more quickly than most people might guess. What will happen now, however, will be a period of national reflection and discussion. There are points of view that support continued use of nuclear power, and there are points of view that will call for it to end. Little will happen immediately but soon there will probably develop a national concensus as to the best course to follow. Once that is established, whatever the decision is will be implimented in short order.
All IMHO.