Bad news travels faster. The disaster at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant has had an immediate impact on Taiwan, reviving a long-running debate over a controversial nuclear reactor that is now under construction.
The speed with which politicians and journalists have returned to the fray highlights how fragile is public backing for nuclear power in Taiwan, despite the island’s dependence on imported fuels.
Monday saw an outcry from politicians and journalists of all political leanings. Some called for a halt to ongoing construction of the new reactor, Taiwan’s fourth. Others said that the government should, at the very least, stringently review safety standards at the three existing plants.