The world’s largest nuclear power plant is set to restart on Wednesday (Jan 21) for the first time since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, its Japanese operator said, despite ongoing safety concerns among local residents.
Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) announced that it had received final approval to resume operations at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant in Niigata prefecture. The company said it would begin removing control rods after 7pm local time, officially starting up the reactor.
The restart follows approval from Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi last month, although public opinion in the region remains sharply divided. A September survey showed that about 60 per cent of residents oppose the restart, while 37 per cent support it.
On Tuesday, several dozen protesters — mostly elderly residents — gathered in freezing temperatures near the plant’s entrance to voice their opposition.
“It’s Tokyo’s electricity that is produced here, so why should the people of Niigata be put at risk?” said Yumiko Abe, a 73-year-old resident. “That makes no sense.”
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the world’s biggest nuclear power plant by potential capacity, though only one of its seven reactors is restarting. The entire facility was shut down after a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011 triggered meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
Japan, which lacks natural energy resources, is now pushing to revive nuclear power as part of efforts to cut fossil fuel use, achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and meet rising electricity demand, including from artificial intelligence technologies. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has publicly backed the move.
Since the Fukushima disaster, 14 nuclear reactors — mainly in western and southern Japan — have resumed operations under stricter safety regulations, with 13 currently running. The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa restart marks the first reactor operated by TEPCO to resume operations since 2011.
However, concerns remain strong among residents. “Nearly 15 years after Fukushima, the situation is still not under control, and TEPCO wants to restart another plant,” said Keisuke Abe, an 81-year-old demonstrator. “That’s absolutely unacceptable.”
The plant has undergone extensive safety upgrades, including the construction of a 15-metre-high tsunami wall and elevated emergency power systems. Still, locals fear evacuation would be impossible in the event of a major accident.
“I don’t think evacuation is realistic during an emergency,” said Chie Takakuwa, a 79-year-old resident of nearby Kariwa.
Earlier this month, seven anti-nuclear groups submitted a petition with nearly 40,000 signatures to TEPCO and Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority, citing seismic risks and the plant’s location near active fault lines. The plant was previously damaged by a strong earthquake in 2007.
Japan’s nuclear sector has also been hit by recent scandals, including data falsification by Chubu Electric Power to downplay seismic risks. At Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, TEPCO reported that an alarm system failed during a recent test.
“Safety is an ongoing process,” TEPCO president Tomoaki Kobayakawa said. “Operators must never be arrogant or overconfident.”
Before 2011, nuclear power accounted for about one-third of Japan’s electricity supply. In 2023, nearly 70 per cent of the country’s power came from coal, gas and oil. The government aims to reduce that share to 30–40 per cent over the next 15 years.
Under a national energy plan approved in February, nuclear power is expected to make up about 20 per cent of Japan’s electricity by 2040, up from around 8.5 per cent in fiscal year 2023/24.
Meanwhile, the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi plant continues — a complex process expected to take decades.
