Japan prepares to restart world’s largest nuclear plant, 15 years after Fukushima

Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear plant REUTERS/Issei Kato Japan took the final step to allow the world’s largest nuclear plant to resume operations on Monday, with the Niigata region voting in favor of resuming activities, a decisive moment in the country’s return to nuclear power nearly 15 years after the Fukushima disaster. 📱Download the g1 app to see news in real time and for free Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, located about 220 km (136 miles) northwest of Tokyo, was among the 54 reactors closed after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated the Fukushima Daiichi plant, in the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. Japan has since restarted 14 of the 33 plants that remain operational, in a bid to reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa will be the first operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) 9501.T , the company that managed the Fukushima plant, which was doomed to disaster. On Monday, the Niigata Prefectural assembly passed a vote of confidence in Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi, who supported the resumption of activities last month, effectively allowing the plant to resume operations. Before the vote, about 300 mostly elderly protesters, carrying signs reading “No to nuclear weapons”, “We oppose the resumption of operations in Kashiwazaki-Kariwa” and “Support Fukushima”, gathered in front of the Niigata Prefectural Assembly in temperatures of 6 degrees Celsius (42.8 degrees Fahrenheit). At the start of the rally, the crowd, made up mainly of older people, sang ‘Furusato’ – a national song about connecting with one’s birthplace, which means ‘homeland’ in Japanese. “Is TEPCO qualified to manage Kashiwazaki-Kariwa?” one protester asked into the microphone, as the crowd chanted, “No!” TEPCO is considering restarting the first of the plant’s seven reactors on January 20, public broadcaster NHK reported. “We remain firmly committed to never repeating an accident like this and to ensuring that the residents of Niigata never experience anything similar,” said TEPCO spokesman Masakatsu Takata. Takata declined to comment on the exact moment of the incident. See trending videos on g1 See trending videos on g1 Reluctant residents fear resumption of activities Earlier this year, TEPCO promised to invest 100 billion yen ($641 million) in the prefecture over the next 10 years, seeking to win the support of Niigata residents. But many local residents remain cautious. A survey published by the city hall in October revealed that 60% of residents did not believe that the conditions for resuming operations had been met. Nearly 70% were concerned about TEPCO operating the plant. Ayako Oga, 52, settled in Niigata after fleeing the area around the Fukushima plant in 2011 along with 160,000 other evacuees. His former home was within the 20km irradiated exclusion zone. The farmer and anti-nuclear activist has now joined the protests against what she sees as a new threat on her doorstep. “We know firsthand the risk of a nuclear accident and we cannot ignore it,” Oga said, adding that he still suffers from symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress due to what happened in Fukushima. Even Niigata Governor Hanazumi hopes that Japan will eventually be able to reduce its dependence on nuclear energy. “I want to see an era where we don’t have to rely on anxiety-inducing energy sources,” he said. Strengthening energy security Monday’s vote was seen as the last hurdle before TEPCO restarts the first reactor, which alone could increase electricity supply to the Tokyo region by 2%, according to estimates by Japan’s Ministry of Commerce. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office two months ago, has supported the resumption of nuclear activities to strengthen energy security and offset the cost of imported fossil fuels, which account for 60% to 70% of Japan’s electricity generation. Last year, Japan spent 10.7 trillion yen ($68 billion) on imports of liquefied natural gas and coal, representing a tenth of its total import costs. Although the population is shrinking, Japan expects an increase in energy demand in the next decade due to the expansion of energy-intensive artificial intelligence data centers. To meet these needs and meet its decarbonization commitments, it has set a goal of doubling the share of nuclear energy in its electricity mix to 20% by 2040. Joshua Ngu, vice-president for Asia-Pacific at consultancy Wood Mackenzie, said public acceptance of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa’s resumption of operations would represent “a crucial milestone” in achieving these goals. In July, Kansai Electric Power (9503.T), Japan’s main nuclear power operator, announced it would begin studies for a reactor in the west of the country, the first new unit since the Fukushima disaster. But for Oga, who also participated in Monday’s protests in front of the assembly, shouting “Never forget the lessons of Fukushima!” along with others, the resumption of nuclear power is a terrifying reminder of the potential risks. “As a victim of the Fukushima nuclear accident, I wish that no one, whether in Japan or anywhere else in the world, will ever again suffer the damage caused by a nuclear accident,” she said. Security officers hold signs reading “Silence Please” near parliamentarians from the Niigata Prefectural Assembly, who are taking part in a vote of confidence in the prefectural governor’s decisions on the partial resumption of operations at Tokyo Electric Power Company’s (TEPCO) Kashiwazaki Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant REUTERS/Issei Kato

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