Regarding the May 29 article "Memo emblematic of disaster plan flaws": Rather than criticize, which is way too easy, I would like to suggest an alternative. As an engineer I like to look at things from many angles to find a practical solution. My main concern is that the alternative energy suggestions made on this page are either totally impractical or just plain inefficient.
What I don't understand is that we live on a volcanic island with many hot springs, yet we don't make use of them to generate power. The only reason I can think of for this is corruption.
Wind and solar energy will never replace nuclear power, coal or gas because they are not baseload power sources. Geothermal energy is a baseload alternative and someone needs to stand up in full sight and ask why we are not using it. It's free and clean with no waste product. And it is far quicker to get power from geothermal sources than any other baseload power source.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.