Japan is poised to take a major step in its return to nuclear energy, with the Niigata regional government expected to endorse the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant on Monday.
Located about 220km northwest of Tokyo, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the world’s largest nuclear power plant by capacity. It was among 54 reactors shut down nationwide after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami triggered the Fukushima Daiichi disaster, the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl.
Since then, Japan has brought 14 of its 33 operable reactors back online as it seeks to cut dependence on imported fossil fuels. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa would be the first plant to restart under Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco), the operator of the Fukushima facility.
“We remain firmly committed to never repeating such an accident and ensuring Niigata residents never experience anything similar,” said Tepco spokesperson Masakatsu Takata.
If approval is granted, Tepco is considering restarting the first of the plant’s seven reactors on Jan 20, according to public broadcaster NHK, though the company declined to confirm a timeline.
Despite Tepco’s pledge earlier this year to invest ¥100 billion in Niigata over the next decade, opposition among residents remains strong.
A prefectural survey published in October found that 60 per cent of residents felt conditions for the restart had not been met, while nearly 70 per cent expressed concerns about Tepco’s ability to operate the plant safely.
Ayako Oga, 52, who fled the Fukushima area in 2011 and later resettled in Niigata, has joined protests against the restart. Her former home lay within the 20km exclusion zone created after the disaster.
“We know firsthand the risk of a nuclear accident and cannot dismiss it,” said Oga, adding that she continues to struggle with trauma linked to Fukushima.
Even Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi, who backed the restart last month, has said he hopes Japan will one day reduce its reliance on nuclear power. “I want to see an era where we don’t have to rely on energy sources that cause anxiety,” he said.
On Monday, Niigata’s prefectural assembly will hold a vote of confidence in Hanazumi — widely seen as the final political hurdle before the restart.
If approved, the first reactor alone could increase electricity supply to the Tokyo region by about 2 per cent, according to Japan’s trade ministry.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office two months ago, has strongly supported nuclear restarts to bolster energy security and reduce the cost burden of imported fuels, which currently account for 60 to 70 per cent of Japan’s electricity generation.
Japan spent ¥10.7 trillion last year on imported liquefied natural gas and coal. Despite a shrinking population, energy demand is expected to rise due to the expansion of AI data centres.
To meet future demand and its decarbonisation goals, Japan aims to double nuclear power’s share of its electricity mix to 20 per cent by 2040.
Wood Mackenzie Asia-Pacific vice-chairman Joshua Ngu said public acceptance of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa restart would mark “a critical milestone” in achieving those targets.
Still, for protesters like Oga, the revival of nuclear power remains deeply unsettling.
“Every update about the restart feels like reliving the fear,” she said.
