Why hasn't Japan invested in a national energy grid?

While the nuclear industry has sucked in massive investment, renewable  energy sources have been starved of it. Nothing new there but the outcome of Japan's earthquake shows how frightful the consequences are of putting all your eggs in one basket.

One problem is that electricity demand is concentrated in the centre of Japan, while most potential wind power sites are located in remote areas where grid capacity is relatively small.

Limited grid access and the monopolistic hold over the power grids by regional electricity companies, who use variability issues as an excuse for not investing in more capacity, have hampered the development of wind generation. To harness its power the government needs to invest in a grid that will make wind power available to the wider population.

Nor have they built off-shore wind farms to the extent they should considering what a long coastline the country has.


My answer to the question, in deference to Japanese economy of form (haiku):-
 
nuclear past, unclear
future - Japan needs power
- why not wind of change?