public sentiment ran so deep that the DPJ administration would not authorize those plants to start up again after the inspections. Thus, May 2012 saw the complete shutdown of Japan’s nuclear power plants. Third, this nationwide shutdown of nuclear plants threatened the stability of power supply. With zero nuclear power output and peak demand rapidly approaching with the summer months, power companies were hard pressed to supply sufficient electricity. In July, the government allowed the Kansai Electric Power Company to restart two nuclear reactors and operate them under provisional safety regulations, but in the end, due to significant conservation of energy by consumers, there was sufficient supply to meet demand without problems. The nuclear plants operated until September 2013, but no other plants were allowed to restart. As of March 2015, “Zero Nuclear Energy” continues.