Principal speaker
Vlado Vivoda
‘Nuclear Politics in Japan and the
Energy Security Challenge’
Presented by Dr Vlado Vivoda, Research Fellow, Griffith Asia Institute and Geordan Graetz, Doctoral candidate, Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining, Sustainable Minerals Institute, UQ.
In May 2012, the Japanese government switched off the country’s last operating nuclear reactor for scheduled maintenance. For two months, until two reactors were restarted in July 2012, Japan did not use any nuclear energy. This represents a significant energy security challenge for a country that relied on nuclear energy for 25-30 per cent of its electricity supply prior to the 2011 Fukushima disaster. The benefits for Japan of nuclear energy are manifold: it contributes to energy diversification; reduces dependence on imported fossil fuels; is produced at a stable price; and is emissions free. However, the aftermath of the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl has seen a public debate emerge over the future (desirability) of nuclear power in Japan. While public suspicion of nuclear power has grown, the nuclear industry and electricity utilities have been applying pressure on the central government to recommission some of the reactors amid increasingly shrill warnings of power blackouts that are crippling the already struggling Japanese economy. This paper will analyze nuclear politics in Japan in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster, with the aim of identifying key institutional and organizational drivers and constraints to future change in Japan’s nuclear policy.
Dr Vlado Vivoda is Research Fellow at Griffith Asia Institute. Vlado holds a BA (Honours) from the National University of Singapore, and an MA (International Relations) from the Australian National University. He completed his Ph.D. on the international political economy of oil at Flinders University in 2008. Since completing his doctorate, Vlado published a book on bargaining in the contemporary international oil industry, along with numerous peer-reviewed articles with journals including New Political Economy, Business & Politics, Asian Survey, Journal of East Asian Studies, Australian Journal of International Affairs, Resources Policy and Energy Policy. Vlado's current research focus is on the political economy of mining and energy sectors, and on energy security in the Asia-Pacific region.
Geordan is currently a doctoral candidate at the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining at the Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland. His dissertation topic is “Uranium Companies and Traditional Owners: Negotiating the Intersection of Risk and Rights”. He holds a First Class Honours Degree in International Relations, a Master of Arts (Research) in Political Science, and has completed a Graduate Certificate in Mineral Resources – Sustainable Development. Geordan is also a Research Assistant to Dr Vlado Vivoda at the Griffith Asia Institute.
→ Thursday 7 March 2013
→ N72, Meeting Room -1.18
→ Nathan campus
→ 12.30 – 1:50pm
To RSVP, please contact Natasha Vary on (07) 3735 5322 or n.vary@griffith.edu.au by 5.00pm Monday 4 March 2013.
Event categories
RSVP
RSVP on or before Monday 4 March 2013 , by email n.vary@griffith.edu.au , or by phone 07 3735 5322
Event contact details
- Natasha Vary
- http://
- 07 3735 5322