The country is nearing giving the go-ahead for the reactivation of the globe's most sizable nuclear power plant—marking the initial occasion it would be in use since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear incident.
The governor of Niigata, governor of the Niigata region where the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear facility is based, said he has given the green light for the limited resumption.
The plan to resume operations at the station, operated by utility company Tepco, still needs consent from the regional legislative body and Japan's nuclear regulator before it can proceed.
Should it be authorized, it would be the first time Tepco would be permitted to recommence atomic reactor activities in Japan since its Fukushima facility suffered a core meltdown in the wake of a tsunami.
Local Residents Divided on Restart
People living in Niigata are of differing opinions over whether the station should be reactivated or not.
Hanazumi informed a media event on Friday that his ruling would be debated in the final month of the year at a local government meeting, where he would seek the legislature's authorization.
The authorization would be for the restart of operations at the facility's No 6 reactor, then the seventh reactor.
Background and Corporate Reconstruction Plan
The resumption of operations at the station is part of Tepco's business reconstruction plan after the Fukushima meltdown, which was caused by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and enormous surge.
When the plant's reactors were inundated by the surge, it caused radiation to leak out and compelled numerous residents to be relocated from the region.
Japan mandated all its nuclear power plant reactors to be closed in that year after the disaster. Since then, 14 reactors have restarted.
The company was mandated to pay trillions of Japanese yen in damages to those impacted and is also funding the facility's shutdown expenses.
Public Opinion and Worries
A survey released by Niigata prefecture last month indicated that 50% of its residents favored the station's reactivation, while 47% were against it. It also indicated that almost seven in ten of individuals in the area were anxious about Tepco running the station.
Power Targets and Ahead
The recent ruling illustrates a inclination among some in Japan to advance toward greater utilization of atomic power to reduce reliance on carbon-based fuels, as the country aims for a objective of zero net emissions.
