Paper short abstract:

Since the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident, there has been a clamour in the Japanese media for the realisation of nuclear power phase-out. This paper reveals why and how the Japanese media pose their antinuclear discourse by exploring the various arguments of major national newspapers.

Paper long abstract:

Since the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, there has been a clamour in the Japanese media for the realisation of nuclear power phase-out in the country. A number of mass media journalists and intellectuals, particularly from the humanities and the social sciences, have argued for this phase-out using newspapers, magazines, television programmes and blogs; in addition, hundreds of books have been written on the subject. Moreover, many public opinion polls have indicated that a clear majority of Japanese people seek the abolition of nuclear power stations at the earliest.

However, almost all intellectuals from the humanities and the social sciences, as well as the mass media, had been nuclear power advocates in the past and had not argued for nuclear power phase-out prior to the Fukushima incident. Staunch opposers of nuclear power stations before Fukushima disaster were freelance journalists, photographers, documentary film directors, pop musicians, civic movement activists, hippies, and a small minority of scientists. Therefore, it can be stated that the journalists from mass media and intellectuals from the abovementioned fields are newcomers to this movement.

Why and how do the mass media and academics pose their antinuclear discourse following FUKUSHIMA? How do their arguments differ from those of longtime antinuclear advocates such as freelance journalists, pop musicians and civic movement activists? Why has the denuclearisation policy not been introduced until now although the vast majority of Japanese people are in favour of it? In order to answer these research questions, this paper explores the possibilities and problems in the arguments of major national newspapers (Asahi Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun, Tokyo Shimbun etc.) and major intellectuals from the humanities and the social sciences, such as Shin'ichi Nakazawa and Ayumu Yasutomi.