Roundtable C: Nuclear Governance Post-Fukushima

Two years have passed since the Fukushima nuclear accident occurred. Since then, Japan's energy policies have shifted from pro-nuclear to fossil-fuel oriented. As it stands today, the Japanese government has shut down almost all of its reactors. However, as evident in the reactivation of two reactors in 2012, the Japanese government is likely to partially rehabilitate the country's nuclear energy sector due to a number of factors, including the high cost of natural gas and oil. In East and South Asia, as of October 2012, there were plans to build 92 more plants in this region, mainly in China, in addition to the 44 under construction and 117 in operation. In Southeast Asia (SEA), Vietnam has begun serious preparations towards realising its nuclear energy ambitions and other SEA states such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand have all indicated an interest in embarking on similar projects in the future. Thus, it appears that the Fukushima incident has not thwarted Asia's nuclear energy aspirations. Against this background, the speakers at this event will analyse the impact of Fukushima on nuclear governance in Asia, based on the International Atomic Energy Agency's 3S: Security, Safeguards and Safety. They will also articulate and map out the various existing nuclear governance models and outline a model that is perhaps best suited to SEA's social, cultural, economic, and political landscapes.

Specifically, the event will:

• Identify and articulate critical emerging international and regional trends in energy security policies post-Fukushima;
• Discuss the impact of those geopolitical trends on Singapore's energy security from a non-traditional security perspective; and
• Identify critical areas for future policy research on nuclear energy and nuclear governance.