表題番号：2023C-700
日付：2024/04/04
研究課題Local Resistance and Climate Litigation: Unraveling Multi-Level Governance in Energy Transition
| 研究者所属（当時） | 資格 | 氏名 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| （代表者） | 国際学術院 国際教養学部 | 講師 | サラ アドリエンヌ ユミコ |
| （連携研究者） | CNRS | Full Researcher | Sophie Houdart |
- 研究成果概要
- Report on Tokuteikadai Funded Research Project 2023C-700Project title: Local Resistance and Climate Litigation: Unraveling Multi-Level Governance in Energy TransitionInvestigator: Adrienne Sala, Assistant Professor, School of International Liberal Studies (SILS)Research OverviewThis project, initiated under the Tokuteikadai funding (October 2023-March 2024), examines the dynamic interface of litigation, environmental governance, and public involvement in Japan's energy transition sector. It aims to analyze how legal processes shape risk perception, information dissemination, and civic engagement in environmental policy-making.Literature Review and Field ResearchThis project began with an extensive literature review focusing on the themes of risk and power dynamics within the nuclear energy sector, both in Japan and internationally. Subsequently, the research delved into an in-depth analysis of judicial decisions. This examination was crucial for appreciating the legal constructs surrounding nuclear issues and their broader societal implications. It helped unravel how legal frameworks have shaped, and have been shaped by, societal perceptions and reactions to nuclear energy.The fieldwork component, conducted at the Rokkashô nuclear fuel reprocessing facility in March 2024, represented a critical phase of the research. By attending a trial and engaging with a variety of primary sources, including policy documents and firsthand observations of policy discussions, this stage provided rich, empirical insights. It illuminated the complexities of local resistance to nuclear energy initiatives, enriching the understanding of grassroots-level reactions and strategies overtime.Moreover, this phase shed light on the narratives surrounding climate change used to bolster support for nuclear energy as a component of the energy transition. These narratives are pivotal in understanding the justifications for nuclear energy in the context of evolving environmental policies and the balancing of various energy sources to meet climate goals.A notable part of the study involved a collaborative analysis with French researchers such as Sophie Houdart (CNRS, French Research Institute on Japan at the Maison franco-japonaise), comparing Japan's Rokkashô movement with France's La Hague anti-nuclear movement. This comparative aspect of the study enriches our understanding of nuclear energy resistance movements within different cultural and legal contexts, shedding light on global patterns of environmental and nuclear activism as well as specific trajectories. For instance, after Fukushima, a pivotal shift was observed from probabilistic risk assessments to a more integrated approach in nuclear litigation, incorporating scientific, medical, and local knowledge in both countries, which resulted in distinct legal strategies used by lawyers and different judicial decisions.The research also extends to examining the role of media, particularly TV series like “The Days,” in influencing public memory and understanding of nuclear incidents. This media analysis illuminates the complex interaction between fictional narratives and public perception of environmental governance.