Japan has scrapped a plan to obtain half of its electrical power from nuclear energy as the nation continues to struggle with an ongoing nuclear crisis. Thirty percent of Japan’s electrical power comes from nuclear energy, and the government had planned to raise that number to 50 percent by 2030. On Tuesday, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan apologized for pushing a reliance on nuclear energy and said Japan will promote renewable energy and conservation.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan: “I believe that the government shares a large amount of responsibility due to the fact that nuclear power has been promoted as a national energy strategy. As the head of the government, I want to deeply apologize for the fact that this accident could not be averted.”

Despite his pledge, Kan stopped short of announcing a complete abandonment of nuclear power, instead promising to ensure safety.