ABSTRACT
The triple disaster of March 2011, when an earthquake in the Fukushima area of Japan brought tsunami floods and nuclear reactor meltdown, serves as a case study demonstrating that many of the political problems that have plagued Japan throughout the postwar period still linger. The idea that nuclear power was a safe and viable energy solution to resource-strapped Japan was sold to the public despite there existing serious opinions to the contrary. The industry sold the Japanese public on the belief that Japanese superior technology would allow it to avoid serious accidents. Collusion between the political, business, and research worlds silenced reports that suggested otherwise. After the disaster occurred, the extent of the damage, and potential for greater damage, was initially suppressed by the major media outlets. Despite popular demands that Japan end its nuclear energy programs, industry and politics cooperate to unfreeze former, and renew construction of planned, nuclear reactors.
