More than one quarter of people who oppose nuclear energy were influenced in their opinion by the accident at Fukushima-Daiichi in Japan, a survey of public opinion in 24 countries shows. 

The Ipsos MORI survey, carried out in May 2011, two months after the accident in Japan, indicates that events at Fukushima-Daiichi had the greatest influence in Asia. 

In South Korea, 66 percent of those against nuclear energy said they decided to oppose nuclear because of evens in Japan. In Japan the figure was 52 percent, in China 52 percent and in India 50 percent. 

At the other end of the scale, 16 percent of those in Poland against nuclear energy said they decided to oppose it because of events in Japan.

In Sweden the figure was 10 percent. 

The survey shows four in 10 support nuclear as a method of electricity production, but this was lower than other forms of production such as solar power, which was supported by 97 percent and wind power (93 percent). 

In India, Poland and the US more than half of the respondents supported nuclear energy. In India, 61 percent either “strongly supported” or “somewhat supported” nuclear. In Poland it was 57 percent and in the US 52 percent. The countries with least support for nuclear were Germany (21 percent), Italy (19 percent) and Mexico (18 percent). 

Only Poland (52 percent) showed majority support for continued nuclear new-build. In India support was 49 percent, in the US 44 percent and in the UK 43 percent. 

Support for new build was lowest in Italy (17 percent), Germany (15 percent), Mexico (13 percent) and Brazil (11 percent). 

The survey was conducted in the following countries. Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, UK, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the US. 

The results are online: 

www.ipsos-mori.com/Assets/Docs/Polls/ipsos-global-advisor-nuclear-power-june-2011.pdf

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