That onsen culture is exactly why geothermal is a nonstarter as a panacea for Japan - the sites where people are willing for plants to be constructed are limite

That onsen culture is exactly why geothermal is a nonstarter as a panacea for Japan - the sites where people are willing for plants to be constructed are limited and many of them still only allow for small plants. Onsen tourism is the primary source of income for many of these locations and these communities worry that large geothermal plants will kill the tourism industry. There have been a handful of plants opened post Fukushima with more planned, but opposition to large scale geothermal has been fierce in the prefectures that could supply the sites. I'm sure we'll continue to see plants built, but I'll be shocked if it happens on a scale that can reverse Japan from being a net importer of energy.