Japan can play an important role in providing civilian nuclear technology to energy-hungry countries, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Friday, suggesting the atomic power option may aid the fight against climate change.
"We see a number of countries that are looking toward nuclear as part of their energy security," he said during a lecture at the University of Tokyo. "Japan has a major role in developing the technology."
Japan has been eager to forge nuclear cooperation agreements with developing countries to boost exports of its nuclear infrastructure, having agreed with Vietnam last month to work toward signing a bilateral agreement. Tokyo is also in talks with India on a similar pact.
"Certainly in this century, fission nuclear energy should be part of the solution," Chu also said in reference to global efforts to fight floods, rising seas and droughts by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which are blamed for global warming.
The 1997 Nobel physics laureate noted that nuclear power can be used as a backup along with coal and natural gas until renewable energy infrastructure is built because it takes time to develop such infrastructure.
As reactors are built in more countries, there is also a risk that nuclear material could be siphoned off and get into the hands of the "not right" people, Chu said.
But Japan, a longtime civilian nuclear power with sophisticated technology, and the United States have shown "great leadership in making sure that this is really for peaceful use," he said.
Trade minister Akihiro Ohata and Chu said Thursday that a dialogue will be established for officials from the ministry and the U.S. Energy Department to discuss clean energy policies, including the promotion of peaceful and safe use of nuclear energy.
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