Japan's Niigata region is expected to approve the decision to restart the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, marking a major turning point in Japan's return to nuclear power after the Fukushima disaster in 2011. The plant is located about 220km northwest of Tokyo and is considered the world's largest nuclear power plant.
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa was one of 54 reactors that were closed after the earthquake and Tsunami, which also caused serious problems at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. Since then, Japan has re-operated 14 of the 33 reactors that are still qualified, in the context that the country has made efforts to reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels. If approved, it will be the first plant operated by Tokyo Power Company (TEPCO) to be restarted after Fukushima.
TEPCO spokesperson Masakatsu Takata affirmed that the company is fully committed to preventing similar disasters from recurring and ensuring that Niigata people do not experience anything like that anymore.
According to NHK, TEPCO is considering reopening the first of the factory's seven reactors from January 20, although the company has not confirmed the time frame.
Although local authorities tend to support, the concern in the community is still very high. A survey published in October showed that 60% of Niigata residents said the restart conditions were not met, nearly 70% were concerned about TEPCO's operational capacity. The company has committed to investing 100 billion Yen in the next 10 years to convince the locality.
Governor Niigata Hideyo Hanazumi, although supporting the restart, expressed hope that Japan could reduce its dependence on energy sources in the future, causing anxiety for society. The National Assembly will vote in confidence for him, which is seen as the final barrier before the plant can resume operations.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government sees the restoration of nuclear power as necessary to enhance energy security, reduce fuel import costs and meet growing electricity demand, including the explosion of AI data centers. Japan aims to increase the share of nuclear power to 20% by 2040.
