Criticism against Nuclear Power after the Fukushima Accident : An Approach to Ethical Criticism against Science and Technology(<Special Issue>Science, Technology, and Religion)

Abstract

After the severe accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, many groups proposed the abolition of nuclear power. Religious groups joined this movement. The most well-known statement has been the declaration of the Japan Buddhist Federation issued in December 2011. In this paper the author compares the statements released by various religious groups in Japan on this matter. The author also refers to the report of the Ethics Commission for a Safe Energy Supply issued in May 2011 titled "Germany's energy transition: A collective project for the future." This document is a good example of ethical criticism against nuclear power and will help us to clarify the characteristics of the criticism made by Japanese religious groups. Through the examination of these statements we will be closer to finding answers to the question of what are the grounds for ethical criticism against nuclear power, and also what are the characteristics of the criticisms being made by religious groups. Finally these investigation will show a way to criticize contemporary science and technology in ethical terms.