On May 5, Japan's last operating nuclear reactor was shut down, turning it into a nuclear energy-free country. The government is working desperately to restart two reactors in the town of Oi in Fukui Prefecture, but the outcome is difficult to predict.
In fact, some think Japan's nuclear-free status might not only survive the summer of 2012, but become a fact of life forever.
Until a few weeks ago such a scenario seemed unthinkable. The list of arguments for keeping atomic energy is long.