Factors Showing That Young Japanese Are More Positive about the Use of Nuclear Power Generation than Older Japanese

Abstract

In this paper, the existing public opinion polls conducted by, for example, news organizations and INSS (Institute of Nuclear Safety System, Inc.) were analyzed and found to indicate that young Japanese were more positive about using nuclear power generation (NPG) than older Japanese after the Fukushima Daiichi accident. This trend was attributed to the change in attitude after the accident, depending on the age group. Two web surveys targeting people in their 20s and 60s revealed the following factors for young people: (1) Young people were less aware of the risks of NPG and knew fewer negative facts about NPG. (2) Young people tended to be indifferent to NPG and viewed it as an acceptable status quo. Factors (1) and (2) were related to young people's low exposure to news and low interest in information on political, economic, and social issues. (3) Young people tended to emphasize the economical and stable supply of electricity rather than risks. (4) The two groups differed in their acceptance of the replacement of old nuclear power plants. Among older people, opinions were strongly related to the direct evaluation of NPG, especially risk awareness, while among young people, opinions about economic emphasis and anxiety about the future, which are not directly related to NPG, were weakly and broadly related.