Japan to abandon nuclear power expansions, focus on green technology

Japan's prime minister announced yesterday that further expansions of nuclear energy in the nation is now officially off the table, namely due to the ongoing disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which was crippled in March by a massive tsunami wave.

The announcement means that an additional 14 nuclear plants will not be constructed as planned. There are already 54 nuclear reactors operating in the island nation, which supplies about 30 percent of Japan's electricity. A prior plan called for nuclear sources to account for 50 percent of all power generated in the country.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the country's new energy focus will be on creating renewable energy technology, with the long-term goal of generating most of the nation's power from green sources.

"I think it is necessary to move in the direction of promoting natural energy and renewable energy such as wind, solar and biomass," he said, according to The Guardian.

In the wake of Japan's nuclear disaster, Germany also said it would scale back its nuclear ambitions and focus more on renewable energy. Other nations, like China, India, the U.K. and the U.S., remain set on aggressive expansions of nuclear technology.