Japan has taken the final step towards restarting the world's largest nuclear power plant after the Niigata prefecture regional assembly voted a vote of confidence in Governor Hideo Hanazumi. The decision effectively paves the way for the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant. (Kashiwazaki-Kariwa), almost 15 years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Reuters reports, BTA reported.
The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, located about 220 kilometers northwest of Tokyo, was among 54 nuclear reactors shut down after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that led to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster - the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.
Japan has since restarted 14 of the 33 reactors that remain in operation in an effort to reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels. “Kashiwazaki-Kariwa“ will be the first reactor operated by “Tokyo Electric Power Co“ (Tokyo Electric Power Co, TEPCO), which will restart after the same company operated the Fukushima plant.
Public broadcaster NHK reported that the operator is considering restarting the first of the seven reactors at the complex around January 20. Tokyo Electric Power Co. spokesman Masakatsu Takata said the company remains determined to prevent a similar accident from happening again and to ensure the safety of residents of Niigata Prefecture, declining to comment on specific timelines.
Protests and public distrust
Ahead of the vote, about 300 protesters, mostly elderly people, gathered outside the Niigata prefectural assembly building with signs reading “No to nuclear power“, “Against restart of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa“ and “Support Fukushima“. During the rally, participants sang the song “Furusato“ - a national song about the connection to the hometown.
Despite a promise by “Tokyo Electric Power Co.“ to invest 100 billion yen (about $641 million) in the prefecture over the next 10 years, a significant portion of local residents remain cautious. A survey released by Niigata Prefecture in October showed that 60 percent of respondents did not believe that the conditions for resuming work were met, and nearly 70 percent were concerned about the plant being operated by the same operator.
Among the protesters was 52-year-old farmer Ayako Oga, who left the area around Fukushima in 2011 along with about 160,000 other evacuees. She said the risk of a nuclear accident could not be ignored, adding that she continued to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder from the experience.
Energy security and climate goals
The vote in Niigata is seen as the last major obstacle to restarting the first reactor, which Japan's trade ministry estimates could boost the Tokyo area's electricity supply by about 2 percent.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office two months ago, has supported the resumption of nuclear power as part of efforts to strengthen energy security and curb the cost of importing fossil fuels. Currently, between 60 and 70 percent of Japan's electricity is generated from such sources. Last year, the country spent 10.7 trillion yen (about $68 billion) on imported liquefied natural gas and coal.
Despite its shrinking population, Japan expects energy demand to increase over the next decade due to the expansion of energy-intensive artificial intelligence centers. In this context, the country has set a goal of doubling the share of nuclear power in its energy mix to 20 percent by 2040.
According to Joshua Ngu of the consulting company „Wood Mackenzie“, public acceptance of the resumption of operation of the „Kashiwazaki-Kariwa“ nuclear plant will be an important milestone in achieving these goals.
In July „Kansai Electric Power“ (Kansai Electric Power), Japan's largest nuclear power operator, has announced that it will begin studies to build a reactor in the western part of the country - the first new nuclear unit since the Fukushima disaster.
However, some in society remain highly critical of the revival of nuclear power. “As a victim of the Fukushima nuclear accident, I wish that no one - neither in Japan nor anywhere else in the world - will ever have to experience the damage of such a disaster again,” said Ayako Oga.