Public Perceptions of AI and Nuclear Energy in Japan
Why do older Japanese people tend to support environmentalism but oppose nuclear energy more than younger people?
The development of AI is accelerating public discourse on nuclear energy. Japan, having overcome the Fukushima Daiichi Accident, has also set a policy direction to maximize the use of nuclear power in its Seventh Strategic Energy Plan.
This project, to be conducted during the second year of my master’s program in 2025, will investigate Japanese citizens’ views on the intersection of AI adoption and nuclear energy. I am particularly interested in the generational gap in attitudes: older generations in Japan tend to be more supportive of environmentalism and energy policy overall, yet remain more opposed to nuclear energy (Kato-Nitta, 2021; Kitada, 2024). This pattern is both distinctive and underexplored.
Through a carefully designed survey, I aim to capture public opinions on AI, climate change, energy security, and nuclear energy.