Nearly half of female university students want all nuclear power plants to be decommissioned in light of the triple-meltdown crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 atomic plant, according to a recent survey.
The National Federation of University Cooperative Associations survey, released Monday, also showed that around 70 percent of the respondents — 8,498 students from 28 universities — have become more aware of disaster prevention in the wake of the March 11 quake and tsunami.
Regarding nuclear plants, 38 percent said they should be decommissioned in steps with the ultimate goal of all being scrapped in the future.
Among male respondents, 35 percent shared that view, compared with 49 percent among female students, according to the survey.
Overall, 23 percent said the nuclear plants should be maintained but the number of reactors should be reduced, while 19 percent supported maintaining the status quo.
The survey also asked about college students' living conditions amid a stagnant economy, reporting that the monthly income of students not living with their families came to an average of ¥119,000 — the fourth-consecutive year showing a decline and the lowest since 1990.