The Cabinet Office's Atomic Energy Commission presented three options for its medium-term energy portfolio on June 29 and asked people to submit comments by July 31 (later postponed until August 12). On July 10, the Seikatsu Club Consumers' Co-operative Union submitted its comment, which can be outlined by the following five points (posted on July 12)

Outline

The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is not over. People across the globe are breathless with fear that the spent fuel pool at reactor No.4 might collapse. The amount of damage caused by the nuclear accident may total more than tens of trillions of yen. We should put an end to our dependence on nuclear power reactors and the nuclear fuel cycle under a pledge that we will never again allow a nuclear accident to happen.

(1) It is wrong to focus on the ratio of the energy mix when we are discussing ways to halt dependence on nuclear reactors. All the correct information should be disclosed to allow in-depth debates on the right direction for Japan to take, leading to an end to dependence on nuclear power.
 
(2) It is problematic that geothermal power, which is one of the alternatives to nuclear energy, is underestimated. This should be carefully examined prior to debates.
 
(3) The depiction of the cost of nuclear power being almost the same as that of renewable energy is imprecise and misleading. The debates should be based on correct information.
 
(4) There should be a separation of electrical power production from power distribution and transmission. It is problematic that this is not included in the government's medium-term energy portfolio.
 
(5) There should also be debates on the nuclear fuel cycle, and these should be reflected in government policy.