TOKYO — Japan’s industry minister stepped into the national debate on energy policy Tuesday, saying the nation could phase out nuclear power by 2030 without hurting the world’s third-largest economy. “We can do it,” Yukio Edano told reporters in Tokyo when asked about the impact of abandoning Japan’s stable of nuclear reactors. “I don’t think the zero scenario is negative for Japan’s economy. On the contrary, it can create growth as efforts to develop renewable energy and improve energy-efficiency could boost domestic demand,” he added. But according to government-chosen experts' forecast, a zero-nuclear scenario might cause Japan’s economic growth to fall between 1.2 and 7.6% by 2030 compared with returning atomic energy to pre-disaster levels. Last year’s Fukushima atomic crisis, forced Japan switching off its 50 nuclear reactors but two were authorized the re-start amid looming power shortages. The move has sparked huge anti-nuclear protests in the country. Source: Sam Daily Times
