Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The nuclear race is Asia is well and truly on. A study has revealed that 17 of the 28 nuclear power plants under construction around the world are in Asia. All the states have declared that their nuclear programmes are for civilian purposes. Asia’s two giants, India and China are constantly on the lookout for the energy necessary to fuel their rapid development and even Japan, the world’s third largest home to nuclear plants after the United States and France, has declared that it will boost generation of power from nuclear sources from 30 to 40 percent in the next 10 years.

South Korea has already announced that it will increase its number of nuclear power plants. Vietnam has decided to install two nuclear reactors in the coming decade. Thailand is conducting research for nuclear power with the aim of having a plant operational by 2020. Malaysia has not excluded the nuclear-energy option in the near future. Indonesia is planning to start building its first nuclear power plant by 2010 and, with the help of South Korea and Australia (which already holds 40 per cent of world uranium deposits) to produce at least 17% of the national energy supply.

And the “cases” of Iran and North Korea should not be forgotten. Teheran, rich in oil and gas which it does not exploit, has declared that it is developing nuclear technology for civilian purposes, despite opposition from many parties that fear military development. Pyongyang, where people are dying of hunger, has for long years stated its intention to develop nuclear arms “for self-defence”.

The choice hinges on the growing demand for low cost energy and on pollution problems. The rapid increase in oil prices, growing competition for energy sources, fear that these natural resources may die out and political instability in the Middle East, all point to the advisability of taking up the nuclear option. Coal-fired and oil-fuelled energy plants result in highly polluting emissions into the atmosphere. Hong Kong is debating whether or not to construct a nuclear plant precisely to reduce air pollution.

Critics object to the risk of disasters, like the blast at the Soviet power station of Chernobyl in 1986 and the danger that nuclear technology may also be used for military purposes. Moreover, they note that the development of the necessary technology is long-term and expensive, and that in countries like Indonesia, plants could become prime targets for extremist Muslim groups.