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英検1級 二次 予想トピック 2 ・ 🌱 環境・エネルギー ・ A or B

Renewable energy or nuclear power: which should Japan prioritize?

再生可能エネルギーと原子力、日本はどちらを優先すべきか。

このトピックを選ぶべき人

エネルギーのニュースを追っていて、日本の事情（資源・地震・電力需要）で語れる人向け。

骨組み理由3つ（どちらの立場でも話せる）

賛成（Yes）で話すなら

I believe Japan should prioritize renewable energy, because it is safer, produced at home, and increasingly affordable.

  1. safetyJapan has many earthquakes, so large nuclear plants always carry the risk of a serious accident. The Fukushima disaster showed that such an accident can force people to leave their homes for many years.
  2. energy independenceSunlight, wind, and geothermal heat are resources Japan has within its own borders. Relying on them would make the country less dependent on imported fuel, whose prices can rise suddenly during international crises.
  3. falling costsThe cost of solar panels and wind turbines has fallen sharply over the past decade. Japan is also developing new technologies, such as thin, flexible solar cells that can be placed on walls and roofs.

反対（No）で話すなら

I believe Japan should prioritize nuclear power, because it provides large amounts of stable, low-carbon electricity.

  1. stable supplySolar and wind power depend on the weather, but nuclear plants can generate electricity day and night. This stability is essential as data centers and factories use more and more electricity.
  2. limited landJapan is mountainous and densely populated, so there is limited space for large solar and wind farms. Nuclear plants produce a huge amount of power on a relatively small site.
  3. speed of decarbonizationRestarting existing reactors is one of the fastest ways to cut carbon emissions from power generation. This is one reason the government has shifted its policy toward making greater use of nuclear power.

模範スピーチ賛成の立場で2分（246語）

序論Thank you. I'd like to talk about whether Japan should prioritize renewable energy or nuclear power. I believe Japan should put renewable energy first, for three reasons: safety, energy independence, and future potential. 理由1First, renewable energy is much safer for a country like Japan. Japan experiences frequent earthquakes and tsunamis, so nuclear plants always carry the risk of a serious accident. The Fukushima disaster forced many people to leave their homes for years, and the cleanup is still going on. Solar panels and wind turbines can be damaged, too, but they cannot cause that kind of long-term harm. 理由2Second, renewable energy would make Japan more independent. Japan imports most of its energy, so prices can jump whenever there is a crisis overseas. Sunlight, wind, and geothermal heat, however, are resources we already have. In fact, Japan is said to have some of the largest geothermal resources in the world, but we have barely used them. 理由3Third, the technology is improving rapidly. The cost of solar and wind power has fallen sharply, and Japanese researchers are developing thin, flexible solar cells that can be attached to walls and windows. This could turn cities themselves into power stations. 譲歩Of course, renewable energy depends on the weather, so we may still need some nuclear power for the time being. However, better batteries and stronger power grids can solve much of this problem. まとめIn conclusion, considering safety, independence, and future potential, I believe Japan should prioritize renewable energy. Thank you.

和訳

ありがとうございます。日本は再生可能エネルギーと原子力のどちらを優先すべきかについてお話しします。私は再生可能エネルギーを優先すべきだと考えます。理由は3つ、安全性、エネルギーの自立、そして将来性です。 第一に、日本のような国にとって、再生可能エネルギーの方がずっと安全です。日本は地震や津波が多く、原子力発電所には常に重大事故のリスクがあります。福島の事故では多くの人が何年も故郷を離れざるをえず、廃炉や除染の作業は今も続いています。太陽光パネルや風車も被害を受けることはありますが、あのような長期にわたる被害は起こしません。 第二に、再生可能エネルギーは日本をより自立させます。日本はエネルギーの大半を輸入しているので、海外で危機が起きるたびに価格が跳ね上がりかねません。しかし、太陽光、風、地熱は、私たちがすでに持っている資源です。実際、日本は世界有数の地熱資源を持つと言われていますが、ほとんど活用できていません。 第三に、技術が急速に進歩しています。太陽光や風力のコストは大きく下がり、日本の研究者は壁や窓に貼れる、薄くて曲げられる太陽電池を開発しています。これによって、都市そのものを発電所に変えられるかもしれません。 もちろん、再生可能エネルギーは天候に左右されるので、当面はある程度の原子力が必要かもしれません。しかし、より優れた蓄電池と強い送電網があれば、この問題の多くは解決できます。 結論として、安全性、自立、将来性を考えると、日本は再生可能エネルギーを優先すべきだと考えます。ありがとうございました。

想定質疑面接委員はこう突っ込んでくる

QBut isn't renewable energy too unstable to support Japan's industry?

That's a fair concern. Admittedly, solar and wind power go up and down with the weather. However, this can be managed by connecting regional power grids and investing in large batteries. So I still believe renewables can become the main source of power, with other sources supporting them.

Q：でも、再生可能エネルギーは不安定すぎて、日本の産業を支えられないのでは。
A：もっともな懸念です。確かに、太陽光や風力は天候で発電量が上下します。しかし、地域の送電網をつないだり、大型の蓄電池に投資したりすれば対処できます。ですから、ほかの電源に支えてもらいながら、再生可能エネルギーが主力の電源になれると、やはり考えます。

QWhere would Japan find enough space for solar panels and wind turbines?

That's a real challenge, since Japan has little flat land. But there are still many unused spaces, such as factory roofs, parking lots, and abandoned farmland. Offshore wind is also promising, because Japan is surrounded by the sea.

Q：太陽光パネルや風車を置く十分な場所を、日本はどこで確保するのですか。
A：日本は平地が少ないので、そこは本当に課題です。でも、工場の屋根や駐車場、耕作放棄地など、まだ使われていない場所はたくさんあります。日本は海に囲まれているので、洋上風力も有望です。

QShould Japan shut down all its nuclear plants immediately?

No, I don't think that would be realistic. Shutting them all down at once could cause power shortages and higher electricity bills. My point is that new investment should go mainly into renewables, while existing plants are used carefully as a bridge.

Q：日本は原子力発電所をすぐにすべて止めるべきですか。
A：いいえ、それは現実的ではないと思います。一度にすべて止めれば、電力不足や電気代の上昇を招きかねません。私が言いたいのは、新しい投資は主に再生可能エネルギーに向け、既存の原発は橋渡しとして慎重に使う、ということです。

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