As well as raising serious doubts about the safety of nuclear reactors, the Tohoku disaster has thrown into doubt the government's policy of promoting nuclear power.

But while public concern escalates over the use of atomic energy, it is uncertain how far the nation's reliance on atomic power will be scaled back, given the lack of environmentally safe equivalents and fears of power shortages hitting the economically vital Kanto region.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano suggested March 18 that the government may review its nuclear policy. He also said recent remarks about the difficulty of promoting nuclear power by Sadakazu Tanigaki, leader of the conservative Liberal Democratic Party, were "perfectly legitimate."