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Effect of Free Media on Views Regarding Nuclear Energy after the Fukushima Accident
Author(s) -
Yamamura Eiji
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
kyklos
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.766
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1467-6435
pISSN - 0023-5962
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-6435.2011.00530.x
Subject(s) - fukushima nuclear accident , nuclear power , accident (philosophy) , nuclear power plant , energy (signal processing) , freedom of expression , business , political science , law , nuclear physics , physics , human rights , philosophy , epistemology , quantum mechanics
Summary Using cross‐country data, this paper investigates how freedom of media influenced views regarding the security of nuclear energy after the Fukushima accident in J apan. Key findings are: (1) citizens are less likely to agree that nuclear power plants are properly secured against accidents with the presence of a free media and higher levels of freedom of expression; and (2) freedom of expression and free media are positively associated with the presence of nuclear plants. These findings indicate that sufficient information leads citizens to both understand the risk of nuclear energy and to accept the existence of nuclear plants.