Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga indicated Wednesday he does not plan to build new nuclear power plants to achieve zero emissions of greenhouse gas by 2050, in a meeting of the House of Representatives Budget Committee.
"I am not considering building new nuclear plants at this point," he said in the meeting, replying to a question from Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan leader Yukio Edano.
The prime minister made no mention of restarting nuclear power plants that are currently suspended, but Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshi Kajiyama said, "To ensure that nuclear power can be used as an option even in 2050, we will move forward with efforts to constantly improve safety, including the development of technologies such as 'new innovative reactors.'"
On the new policy for missile interdiction, including the possession of capability to attack an enemy's military bases, the prime minister said in an answer to a question from the CDPJ's Katsuya Okada, "We are examining measures to strengthen deterrence in addition to our capabilities to intercept missiles."
With regard to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's statement in September that he would decide on a new policy on capabilities to attack enemy military bases by the end of this year, the prime minister said: "The statement has not gone through Cabinet approval. In principle, the policy is not binding on the subsequent Cabinet."
He added, "My Cabinet will discuss the policy in light of the statement and consider the measures that should be taken."
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
