Japan to boost nuclear energy as basic power source

Nuclear fuel has high energy-density as a fuel and is easy to stockpile, said Kyodo, quoting a long-term energy draft which will be presented Friday to a subcommission of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

In addition, spent nuclear fuel is recyclable by reprocessing and does not emit carbon dioxide, the main cause of global warming, said the draft.

The plan came after Tokyo Electric Power Co. was found to have falsified safety reports on its nuclear power facilities last August. The company was forced to shut down 17 nuclear reactors but have restarted three of them in order to free Tokyo from power drought this summer.

The draft emphasized the importance of winning public understanding of nuclear power and called on the government to make efforts for public support.

The 10-year energy plan will be Japan's first comprehensive national energy policy and be seen as a blueprint for future energy policies in the country.