摘要
Public acceptance of nuclear power is a major challenge for its development in China. This report concludes a study series analyzing factors that influence young Chinese people's attitude toward nuclear energy. In this report, trends in public attitudes are analyzed using data from three nationwide online surveys conducted via the Tencent platform in 2019, 2021, and 2023 (total N = 2234). These surveys employed quota sampling by respondents' current place of residence and targeted young Chinese adults aged 18–39. The results suggest that young Chinese people became more negative about nuclear power, interpreted as a side effect of fierce and widespread opposition to the release of treated radioactive water from Fukushima, which drew public attention to radioactive waste. Respondents also showed different interest in visiting Fukushima and Chernobyl, influenced not only by the severity of the accidents but also by media coverage. The surveys suggest that more than half of respondents expressed willingness to hang out with someone from a region affected by a severe nuclear accident. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened health awareness, which may contribute to increased concern about the health impact of nuclear power plants and radiation. These changes are considered to exacerbate NIMBY syndrome. Those with a negative impression of nuclear power tend to have more serious NIMBY syndrome, while the growth of the NIMBY factor among the group of non-negative impression is remarkable. Finally, limitations and practical implications are discussed.