Japan and the United States promote nuclear energy production

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is on an official visit to the United States with the firm intention of highlighting the importance of the Japan-United States alliance in Asia. Kishida's trip marks the first visit by a Japanese leader to the United States in nine years.

Kishida is expected to move forward with joint economic and security projects with the Philippines and the United States as clashes between Beijing and Manila intensify in the South China Sea. It is the first time that the countries will meet for a trilateral summit.

The visit gives Kishida a global platform to outline Japan's vision for Japan-U.S. relations while facing a precarious political outlook at home. His public support rating is hovering at an all-time low amid upcoming elections for Liberal Democratic Party leader in September 2024.

Kishida framed the highly anticipated summit with US President Joe Biden on April 10 as a meeting of two “global partners” tackling global issues. This will be followed by trilateral talks between Biden, Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to discuss the development of “multi-level” ties on April 11.

Additionally, Kishida is also expected to address the US Congress, becoming the second Japanese leader to do so after his predecessor, the late Abe Shinzo, in 2015. When asked about the topic of the speech to Congress, Kishida He said his comments will address “broad themes” and the importance of future generations.

Japan is taking a more proactive stance to counter Beijing's maritime aggression. It is preparing to increase its presence in the region by strengthening cooperation with the Philippines. On Monday, Kishida told reporters in Japan that “no Southeast Asian country wants to be cornered when it comes to diplomacy and security.” He talked about presenting Japan as a “valid option in important areas like the economy” in Asia by “showing its presence and taking responsibility.”

While the emphasis on security in Kishida's trip to the United States has been widely discussed, another aspect has been less discussed: nuclear energy cooperation.

Last December, Kishida announced that Japan was ready to lead decarbonization efforts in Asia to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. In turn, Japan backed a U.S.-led declaration to increase the world's nuclear power capacity. by 2050, disappointing advocates who promote 100 percent renewable energy.

For Japan and the United States, a next-generation nuclear power plant is the answer to eliminating Asia's dependence on fossil fuels. As part of their trilateral cooperation, both countries will facilitate the development of “mini” nuclear power plants, called Small Modular Reactors (SMR), in the Philippines.

The country is currently struggling with chronic power outages. It relies heavily on coal, which generates 60 percent of its electricity. Marcos hopes to restart the only nuclear plant facility in the Philippines, which was built and immediately abandoned in the 1980s. The government plans to bring it online by 2032.

Next-generation nuclear plants like SMRs are considered much safer and cheaper than their predecessors. However, the US startup that makes the technology, NuScale Power, canceled its plan to build an SMR facility in Idaho in November last year. They explained that the project, which would have been the first in the United States, was economically unviable, as inflation and rising construction costs meant the price of power generated by the plant would be too high.

Japan has changed its policy on nuclear energy since the devastating tsunami and earthquake disaster of 2011. High-tech nuclear energy is linked to Kishida's Green Transformation (GX) strategy, which seeks to balance decarbonization with economic growth . Japan will support the project with research and specialized personnel.

There are also plans for Japan to open a semiconductor base in the Philippines. In return, the Philippines will increase its supply of nickel, which is essential for battery manufacturing.

Behind the scenes of strengthening economic ties is a rapidly deteriorating situation in the South China Sea. Japan, the United States, Australia and the Philippines recently held their first joint naval exercise in the disputed and resource-rich South China Sea. The exercise included anti-submarine warfare training, communication exercises and formation navigation.

While Kishida hopes to emphasize the importance of the Japan-U.S. relationship to the rest of the world, the new trilateral cooperation is a concerted effort to show a united front against Beijing and the kind of international partnership Japan hopes to realize.

Note: this is an article republished from “The Diplomat” through a cooperation agreement between both parties for the dissemination of journalistic content. original link.