Lawmakers in Japan are acknowledging that an Italian decision to reject the revival of nuclear energy, could affect their own country's policies on the issue.

In Monday's referendum in Italy, nearly 95 percent of the votes cast, favored blocking an atomic energy revival in the country.

Yukio Edano, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary, said, "The actions of other nations could cause a certain level of influence, not just over nuclear issues, but also over various domestic policies. It was a result which sprung from the process that each sovereign nation make a decision on its major policies, by asking the will of its people. So Japan is not in the position to make any comment."

Streets in several parts of Tokyo were jammed with thousands of protesters, on the three-month anniversary day of the devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Tuesday's survey by the Asahi Newspaper shows nearly three-quarters of Japanese voters want to see a gradual phase-out of nuclear power.

Embattled Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who survived a no-confidence vote earlier this month, says the nation will scrap a plan to obtain half of its electricity from nuclear sources.

Renewable energy and conservation will be promoted instead, as a result of the lingering nuclear crisis.

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