The government's irresponsible attitude toward nuclear power generation is becoming clear. It seems that the government does not want to pursue concrete steps to reduce and eventually end the nation's reliance on nuclear power despite its new long-term energy policy under which it is supposed to utilize all the available policy resources to achieve "zero operation" of nuclear power plants in the 2030s. This attitude is exemplified by its readiness to accept the resumption of the suspended construction of new nuclear power plants. Because a 40-year operation limit will be imposed on nuclear power plants, the resumption of the construction of those plants means that they will remain online at least into the 2050s.
On the other hand, it seems that the government does not want to be involved in any political decisions concerning the restart of existing nuclear power plants, which in the future will have to pass the new post-Fukushima safety standards that are being drawn up by the newly established Nuclear Regulatory Authority. The NRA is expected to finish writing the new safety standards, which will subject even existing nuclear power plants to the latest technological progress, by July 2013.
At present only two of Japan's 50 nuclear power reactors are online. Clearly the government does not want to make decisions that will anger the majority of citizens who want Japan to phase out nuclear power. There is the possibility that even while the government refrains from making any concrete decisions in either direction, the power industry will restart nuclear power plants one after another. This will be a typical example of faits accomplis being achieved in the absence of responsible actions by the government.