Statement by Yasuchika Hasegawa, Chairman of Keizai Doyukai
Publication of Draft Report on Safety Assessment for Sendai Nuclear Power Plant

July 16, 2014

Yasuchika Hasegawa
Chairman, Keizai Doyukai

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The Nuclear Regulation Authority publicized today its draft assessment report which concluded that the safety measures prepared by Kyushu Electric Power Company Inc. for its No. 1 and No. 2 reactors at Sendai Nuclear Power Plant meet the new plant safety standards. We welcome the first publication of the screening result after the introduction of the new standards.

The current status of depending upon fossil fuel consuming thermal power generation for some 90 percent of the country’s electricity is a big concern because it significantly impacts trade/current balance through the consequent import increase and the surging import price while the corporate competitiveness is also largely affected. Taking these into consideration, there is no other choice but to reactivate nuclear power plants which meet the new plant safety standards in order to see the sustainable growth of Japanese economy that is finally re-embarking on a growth trajectory.

It is hoped that the publication of the screening result this time will trigger the expedition of other nuclear power plants awaiting the assessment. Furthermore, the national government and Kyushu Electric Power Company are expected to make their efforts to build consensus needed for the reactivation on the basis of establishing and strengthening the trust and cooperative relationship with municipalities where reactors are located and those surrounding. At the same time, utmost efforts have to be made for the early reactivation to be realized by taking swift initiatives needed. Finally, our hope is that Sendai Nuclear Power Plant will become the first case of the reactivation under the new plant safety standards as a model of the consensus building toward the nuclear power plant reactivation going forward.

Japanese version