NUCLEAR POWER IN ASIA: POST FUKUSHIMA

Zoya Akhter Fathima

A decade ago, the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster led many to believe that the nuclear era was coming to an end. About ten years since, Asia is leading the global nuclear sector. Contributing to two-thirds of the global construction of reactors and exhibiting its technical prowess in the nuclear research and development arena, the future of nuclear power in Asia appears to be on a positive trajectory. This development is driven by a mix of urgent necessity, aided by the realisation that benefits offered by nuclear power are not just environmental in character but also offers economic and strategic advantages. In this context, the book examines the energy trends and the current state of nuclear power in the Asian continent and endeavours to answer the much-deliberated question of whether Asia is witnessing a nuclear renaissance again.

To address this question, the book explores the policy responses by Asian countries to the Fukushima disaster. It attempts to map the future trajectory of nuclear power in Asia and tries to identify the factors that may accelerate or limit its growth.

Zoya Akhter Fathima

Ms Zoya Akhter Fathima is a foreign policy analyst with a master’s degree in Geopolitics and International Relations from Manipal University. She worked as a Research Associate at the Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS), New Delhi, where she analysed the civil nuclear programmes of Asian countries and explored the scope of small modular reactors. Before joining CAPS, she worked as a Research Associate at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru.

Ms Akhter is also a Member of the Executive Committee of the Association of Women in Nuclear in India (WiN-India).

Contents

Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction

1. Status of Global Nuclear Energy: A Survey
2. Understanding the Appeal of Nuclear Energy and Assessing Anti-Nuclear Debates
3. Understanding Japan’s Nuclear Power Dilemma and Assessing its Future Trajectory
4. Understanding the Development and Future of Nuclear Energy in China
5. Assessing the Development and Future of Nuclear Energy in South Korea
6. Assessing the Development of Nuclear Power in South Asian Countries: A Case Study of Pakistan and Bangladesh
7. India’s Nuclear Energy Programme: Status, Challenges and Future Trajectory
8. Future of Nuclear Power in Asia: An Assessment

Index