Japan Revives Nuclear Energy Push with Restart of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Plant 15 Years After Fukushima
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Japan is preparing to restart the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, signaling a major reversal in its energy strategy 15 years after the Fukushima catastrophe. The plant, located approximately 220 kilometers northwest of Tokyo, was shut down along with 53 other reactors following the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent nuclear disaster.
The Business Standard reported that the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)-managed facility will be the first to resume operations under its oversight since the Fukushima incident. While some local residents have expressed safety concerns, the government has defended the move as essential for energy security, reducing fossil fuel dependence, and meeting rising electricity demand, particularly from data centers and AI development.
Japan has only reactivated 14 of its 33 operable reactors since 2011. The government plans to increase nuclear power’s share of the country’s electricity mix to about 20% by 2040.
