Chubu Electric Power's talented executives
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2025 10:53 am
Before accepting Prime Minister Suga's request to suspend operations, Chubu Electric Power indicated a plan to spend two years building a tsunami-proof breakwater on the inside of the sand dunes along the coast. By pooling together Japan's civil engineering capabilities, it should be possible to complete the tsunami countermeasures at Hamaoka within six months, or even in about three months. This would be far more reliable than simply suspending operations and looking for other ways to generate electricity, and by showcasing Japan's civil engineering technology to the world, it should help restore international credibility.
This is likely to have a major impact on the overseas export of nuclear power technology, which Japan has been working on together with the public and private sectors. In Vietnam, which has already received nuclear power plant orders, and Turkey, which is prone to earthquakes like Japan, the fact that it is "earthquake-resistant" has been highly praised. However, this sudden change in policy could be perceived overseas as "Japanese nuclear power plants cannot withstand earthquakes."
Japan was fortunate, albeit slightly fortunate, in that Chubu Electric remove background image Power had a talented workforce. Upon receiving a request from the Prime Minister, the company's Chairman, Mita Toshio, flew to Qatar in the Middle East for a three-day trip with no overnight stays. He successfully procured liquefied natural gas, securing fuel for thermal power generation for the time being. The company focused on natural gas power generation technology from an early stage, making a major contribution to the development of Qatar, which has greater reserves of natural gas than oil. The company had built a relationship of trust with Qatar, supporting its domestic power generation facilities and seawater desalination technology, which enabled it to respond to the sudden request.
However, is it really OK to unilaterally place such a burden on private companies? If the government is telling us to stop nuclear power plants, shouldn't it also secure fuel for thermal power plants to ensure electricity? I thought that all preparations would have been completed by the time the Prime Minister announced this at the press conference, but it was a "political decision" made by the Prime Minister, meaning he acted alone without coordination.
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This is likely to have a major impact on the overseas export of nuclear power technology, which Japan has been working on together with the public and private sectors. In Vietnam, which has already received nuclear power plant orders, and Turkey, which is prone to earthquakes like Japan, the fact that it is "earthquake-resistant" has been highly praised. However, this sudden change in policy could be perceived overseas as "Japanese nuclear power plants cannot withstand earthquakes."
Japan was fortunate, albeit slightly fortunate, in that Chubu Electric remove background image Power had a talented workforce. Upon receiving a request from the Prime Minister, the company's Chairman, Mita Toshio, flew to Qatar in the Middle East for a three-day trip with no overnight stays. He successfully procured liquefied natural gas, securing fuel for thermal power generation for the time being. The company focused on natural gas power generation technology from an early stage, making a major contribution to the development of Qatar, which has greater reserves of natural gas than oil. The company had built a relationship of trust with Qatar, supporting its domestic power generation facilities and seawater desalination technology, which enabled it to respond to the sudden request.
However, is it really OK to unilaterally place such a burden on private companies? If the government is telling us to stop nuclear power plants, shouldn't it also secure fuel for thermal power plants to ensure electricity? I thought that all preparations would have been completed by the time the Prime Minister announced this at the press conference, but it was a "political decision" made by the Prime Minister, meaning he acted alone without coordination.
Check out the latest articles from President Reuters