As the government gears up to hammer out a new energy policy, the industry ministry, which supervises utilities, faces the daunting task of reforming itself under a new government and regaining the public's trust after the Fukushima nuclear crisis.
In the current antinuclear climate, breaking the fetters of industry lobbies and enhancing transparency in decision-making will be crucial in determineing whether METI — the ministry of economy, trade and industry — can win public support for a new energy policy that will be devised by it and a unit under the direct control of whoever happens to be prime minister at the time.
Experts, however, express doubts that the oft-criticized collusive ties between the ministry and the power industry can be easily broken.