These days I'm really shocked by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's economic policy of exporting Japan's nuclear technology to foreign countries. The reason is that the problems at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant have not yet been resolved.
It has been more than two years since the accidents at the power plant. All we can do to cool the nuclear fuel is to pour water on it and make 400 tons of polluted water a day. In short, there are still no effective measures against accidents at nuclear power plants.
Given the present situation, I can't help wondering what to think if similar or more serious accidents were to happen at nuclear power plants that use the technology being exported by Japan.
For example, in Turkey, which has decided to cooperate with some Japanese companies to build nuclear power plants, earthquakes happen frequently, as in Japan. I think that to export nuclear power plants with no certain means of dealing with nuclear accidents is very irresponsible.
Before exporting nuclear technology, Abe should give more thought to the possibility of accidents happening. In Fukushima Prefecture, nine towns and villages are still part of an evacuation zone because of extensive radioactive contamination, and about 160,000 people still can't go back to their homes.
I never want to see another country experience what Japan has experienced with Fukushima. I never again want to see people lose their homes because of a nuclear accident.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.