Why Nuclear Power Became Japan’s Energy Priority

Eric Margolis, at the lewrockwell.com, traces Japan’s prioritization of nuclear power as its main source of energy to ‘energy independence’ and the stigma of World War II.

Mr. Margolis writes,

In Japan’s samurai code, an act of supreme bravery occurs when a fighter confronts impossible odds, or knows his death in battle is inevitable, yet still decides to fight for honor’s sake. In samurai lore, this is know as "the nobility of failure."

Japanese history and, of course, World war II, are replete with examples of self-sacrifice and boundless valor in the face of certain defeat.

Brave and resolute as Japanese are, the question remains, why did Japan only 15 years or so after the nuclear horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki decide to build nuclear power plants they knew could be potentially dangerous?

The answer lies in World War II. Japan has no resources, other than rock, wood, water and its industrious people. All raw material to this island nation had to be imported by sea...

After the war, Japan’s leadership concluded their nation had to have energy independence, even if it meant from potentially dangerous nuclear power. Japan must never again be left helpless. Oil was too precious to use for power generation. It had to be stockpiled for strategic use and transportation.

So Japan took a calculated risk with nuclear power in spite of the ingrained fears of its people.

Read the rest here