With Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama having set a more ambitious emissions reduction target than that pledged by former rival Taro Aso, nuclear power is emerging as one of the most effective potential solutions.
In the only country to have been hit by atomic bombs, however, the hurdles will remain high for those advocating greater use of nuclear energy, which is touted as "cleaner" in terms of carbon emissions than fossil fuels, despite producing radioactive toxic waste that poses numerous disposal problems.
In addition, the Democratic Party of Japan's alliance with a smaller party that is demanding the abandonment of nuclear technologies may also hinder the push to go nuclear.