Global Energy Policy Research

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 fr...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120423-06/

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 elec...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120507-05/

1. Activities as a community mediator This report details a community symposium that convened on August 4, 2014 at the Ryozen Satoyama School in the Ryozen-machi district of Date City in Fukushim...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20140825-01/

4. Proceedings of the community symposium (1) As community mediator, I briefed attendees on the importance of the symposium and reviewed the three-and-a-half years that had transpired since the n...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20140825-02/

In all the attention that’s being given to the very real technical challenges being faced in the cleanup of the nuclear accident at Fukushima, it has been too easy to forget about the people wh...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20140707-02/

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 ...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20140217-01/

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...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20140310-04/

Agora Institute held its second conference, "Considering Sustainable Energy Strategy", on December 8. (Program ) (Panelist Profiles and Studies ) (Nico Nico Live )

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20131212-03/

The accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Plant posed a serious problem whether we can live with nuclear energies. On the other hand, its risks of climate change and air pollution makes foss...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20131111-04/

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 electorat...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20131021-03/

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 use...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130729-01/

”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 Directorat...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130826-05/

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 assemb...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130708-04/

”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 “...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130624-03/

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 Exec...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130520-01/

“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 Po...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130520-04/

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, comparin...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130422-01/

”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 th...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130507-05/

The health and economic prosperity of the human race depend on applications of science in engineering and medicine, and these have involved the outer (or electronic) part of atoms. Use of the inn...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130507-02/

”Goal of Nuclear Regulation is comprehensive risk reduction”. (English coming soon). Contribution by Prof. Koji Okamoto, the University of Tokyo. Among persons concerned in energy industry, t...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130422-04/

Last week, we introduced following articles.

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130415-04/

”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�...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130401-04/

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 Nucle...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130311-01/

“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....

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130325-04/

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 Pow...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130311-04/

“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 kno...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130304-04/

“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...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130225-04/

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 renew...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130218-04/

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

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130212-05/

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 ...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130204-04/

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 ...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20130107-03/

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 nucle...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20121217-03/

Many lessons can be learned from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. First, if an isolation condenser (IC) continues to operate, the accident would be terminated soon. A reactor c...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20121231-01/KeynoteDrNarabayashi-THMT-12r2.pdf

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 take...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20121105-04/

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 pro...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20121001-01/

Kansai Electric Power (KEPCO) issued a press release on June 21 with the title “Negawatt Trading for Large Customers Outside Kansai Electric Power’s Service Area.” The press release is ava...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120702-01/

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...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20121009-01/

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 i...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120723-03/

We introduce the report published in August by Richard Armitage, the former deputy secretary of state, and Joseph Nye, Proffessor at Harvard University, together with CSIS. “The U.S.- Japan All...

http://csis.org/files/publication/120810_Armitage_USJapanAlliance_Web.pdf

Its editorial column of September 17th . It evaluates this policy as decisive, though its handling may change with future change of government, an economical argument and so on.

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/f4472964-0002-11e2-a30e-00144feabdc0.html

On September 14th, Energy and Environmental Council of the Government of Japan, published. It determined the aim of the country to have zero nuclear power generation by the 2030s. Regarding this ...

http://www.npu.go.jp/policy/policy09/pdf/20120919/20120919_1.pdf

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 rul...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120618-01/

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 resul...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120924-05/

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 o...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120618-02/

“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 a...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120918-02/

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 resul...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120831-01/

Editorial column, on September 17th. It views zero-nuclear negatively and as a “dream”.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/japans-zero-nuclear-dream/2012/09/16/f595b820-feaa-11e1-a31e-804fccb658f9_story.html

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...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120727-99/

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 ...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120611-02/

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 associate...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120514-02/

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. To...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120831-01/

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...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120820-04/

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 (hereinafte...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120514-01/

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...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120709-01/

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 ...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120709-02/

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.

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120723-04/

Low or moderate radiation doses and dose rates are harmless, but the public health effects of a misunderstood accident like the one at Fukushima are dangerous, to individuals and to the society a...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120723-05/

This article showed reserves of the shale gas. Reserves are abundant in the United States and China, countries with high energy consumptions. Therefore, it points out that it is benefitial for bo...

http://www.economist.com/node/21558455?fsrc=scn/tw_ec/a_better_mix

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 ...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120717-04/

Ministry of the Environment of Japan began a service to display potential location for renewable energy on a Japanese map by using Google Earth.

http://www.env.go.jp/earth/ondanka/rep/EN/index.html

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, aft...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120423-01/

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 ...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120709-05/

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. Howe...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120702-04/

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 r...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120521-02/

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 ...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120507-03/

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 recen...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120604-01/

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

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120618-04/

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.

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120611-01/

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 t...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120507-01/

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 re...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120604-03/

GEPR (Global Energy Policy Research) is a “virtual think tank” on web, a research institute that aims to study energy policies deeply and impartially, and make a proposal to the society. The institute is operated by Agora Incorporated (http://agorajp.com/en/, Tokyo), conducting research and survey on energy issues, provide information on internet, hold symposiums, create proposals, and publication of books.

http://www.iea.org/newsroomandevents/pressreleases/2012/may/name,27266,en.html

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 c...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120521-05/

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 ener...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120430-02/

GEPR (Global Energy Policy Research) is a “virtual think tank” on web, a research institute that aims to study energy policies deeply and impartially, and make a proposal to the society. The institute is operated by Agora Incorporated (http://agorajp.com/en/, Tokyo), conducting research and survey on energy issues, provide information on internet, hold symposiums, create proposals, and publication of books.

http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2012/9789241503662_eng.pdf

GEPR (Global Energy Policy Research) is a “virtual think tank” on web, a research institute that aims to study energy policies deeply and impartially, and make a proposal to the society. The institute is operated by Agora Incorporated (http://agorajp.com/en/, Tokyo), conducting research and survey on energy issues, provide information on internet, hold symposiums, create proposals, and publication of books.

http://www.nature.com/news/fukushima-s-doses-tallied-1.10686

GEPR (Global Energy Policy Research) is a “virtual think tank” on web, a research institute that aims to study energy policies deeply and impartially, and make a proposal to the society. The institute is operated by Agora Incorporated (http://agorajp.com/en/, Tokyo), conducting research and survey on energy issues, provide information on internet, hold symposiums, create proposals, and publication of books.

http://www.nature.com/news/specials/japanquake/index.html

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

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120528-04/

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

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120423-04/

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...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120409-03/

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 Radiologica...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120326-02/

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...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120514-04/

Famous American website ”Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists” reports Low-level radiation risks.

http://bos.sagepub.com/content/current

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 Fu...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120402-01/

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...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120319-02/

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 ca...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120416-04/

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 Jus...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120326-01/

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 po...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120312-01/

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?...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120409-04/

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

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120305-02/

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 Earthq...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120402-04/

It showed Direct Load Control ,which electric power company control directly and remotely each demands, was effective in efforts to reduce demand peak.

http://www.ferc.gov/legal/staff-reports/2010-dr-report.pdf

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...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120305-01/

The Rehabilitations of Living Conditions after the Fukushima Accident

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxqSmDmQ78xCQVBpNWhXTFBTSEtBUjJGc1NCTTdmZw/edit

It is a report of reconstruction activities in Belarus from the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ba5955uQNWz5V8u9lYlV6aq6tLx76T5HWAZekPQNwuM/edit

Japanese private volunteers learning from the experiences of ETHOS PROJECT , aims for reconstruction and protection from radioactivity with residents independence. This site introduce their activ...

http://ethos-fukushima.blogspot.jp/

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

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120326-04/

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 r...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120319-04/

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-call...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120312-02/

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 informat...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120227-01/

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...

http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20120319-05/