Opposition to nuclear power grows after Fukushima disaster: survey
May 26, 2011
More people in Japan, Germany and Russia oppose nuclear power generation than support it, while in France and the United States, the number of proponents exceeds that of objectors, an international survey by a major Japanese daily indicated Thursday.
In China and South Korea, those for and against were almost even, according to the report by the Asahi Shimbun.
The survey was conducted this month in the wake of the nuclear emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant in major nations depending on nuclear power as well as in China, where many nuclear stations are under construction.
Supporters of nuclear power generation stood at 34 percent in Japan, 19 percent in Germany and 36 percent in Russia, while opponents came to 42 percent in Japan, 52 percent in Russia and 81 percent in Germany, according to the survey.
It is notable that opposition exceeded support in Japan for the first time in three identical surveys following the nuclear disaster.
In France and the United States, support came to 51 percent and 55 percent, respectively, while opposition was at 44 percent and 31 percent.
Compared with the pre-disaster data, the rate of opposition expanded to 81 percent from 56 percent in Germany, to 42 percent from 18 percent in Japan, to 45 percent from 27 percent in South Korea, and to 48 percent to 36 percent in China, the survey showed.
The survey drew 2,059 valid responses in Japan and 1,575 in Russia. In the other five nations, it stood at around 1,000 each.
(Distributed by Kyodo News on May 26, 2011)
In China and South Korea, those for and against were almost even, according to the report by the Asahi Shimbun.
The survey was conducted this month in the wake of the nuclear emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant in major nations depending on nuclear power as well as in China, where many nuclear stations are under construction.
Supporters of nuclear power generation stood at 34 percent in Japan, 19 percent in Germany and 36 percent in Russia, while opponents came to 42 percent in Japan, 52 percent in Russia and 81 percent in Germany, according to the survey.
It is notable that opposition exceeded support in Japan for the first time in three identical surveys following the nuclear disaster.
In France and the United States, support came to 51 percent and 55 percent, respectively, while opposition was at 44 percent and 31 percent.
Compared with the pre-disaster data, the rate of opposition expanded to 81 percent from 56 percent in Germany, to 42 percent from 18 percent in Japan, to 45 percent from 27 percent in South Korea, and to 48 percent to 36 percent in China, the survey showed.
The survey drew 2,059 valid responses in Japan and 1,575 in Russia. In the other five nations, it stood at around 1,000 each.
(Distributed by Kyodo News on May 26, 2011)
