Japan 's economy minister on Friday repeated his view that the country should end its reliance on nuclear power.

"I felt strongly that we shouldn't rely on nuclear power after I saw Fukushima's beautiful landscape and I heard from those affected" by the nuclear disaster in the region last year, Economy Minister Motohisa Furukawa said at a press conference.

The government of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is due to decide on the country's long-term energy policy by the end of August, with three basic scenarios under discussion.

One option has nuclear power supplying none of Japan 's energy needs by 2030, another has it supplying 15%, and a third has it supplying 20%-25%.

Earlier this week, Mr. Furukawa said he would like to aim for "zero-nuclear reliance," but declined to offer a time frame.

Mr. Furukawa said Friday it would be "impossible" to eliminate Japan 's reliance on nuclear power in one quick move, and that developing renewable energy would likely be positive for the domestic economy in the long term.

Before the Fukushima disaster that began in March 2011, nuclear power accounted for about 30% of Japan 's electricity output.

Διαβάστε ακόμα