In a dramatic move, Japan has restarted the world’s biggest nuclear power plant, the ‘Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant,’ for the first time after 15 years since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
While officials assure the plant is safe, locals remain deeply concerned. The plant, run by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), switched on one of its seven reactors on Wednesday evening. TEPCO said: “We are proceeding with preparations and plan to remove the control rods after 7:00 pm today to start up the reactor.” Local opposition Public opinion is sharply divided. Around 60% of residents oppose the restart, while 37% support it. Many elderly residents protested in freezing snow outside the plant. Yumiko Abe, 73, expressed frustration: “It’s Tokyo’s electricity that is produced in Kashiwazaki, so why should the people here be put at risk? That makes no sense.” Keisuke Abe, 81, said: Nearly fifteen years after Fukushima, the situation is still not under control. And now TEPCO wants to revive a plant? That’s absolutely unacceptable.
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Safety measures taken TEPCO has upgraded the plant with several safety features: Despite these upgrades, residents remain worried about serious accidents. Chie Takakuwa, 79, said: “I think it’s impossible to evacuate in an emergency.” Seven local groups submitted a petition with nearly 40,000 signatures to TEPCO and Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority, citing the plant’s location on an active seismic fault. Also read: Apple to launch digital payment service ‘Apple Pay’ in India
Why Japan is returning to nuclear power
After Fukushima, Japan shut down most of its nuclear plants. Back then, nuclear energy supplied about one-third of the country’s electricity, and the disaster killed around 18,000 people. Today, Japan wants nuclear power to: Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi supports nuclear energy as a key part of Japan’s long-term plan. Nuclear energy today and tomorrow Since the Fukushima shutdown, 14 nuclear reactors have restarted in Japan, with 13 currently operating as of mid-January. The government plans to increase nuclear power’s share of electricity to around 20% by 2040, up from about 8.5% in 2023–24.
For now, fossil fuels like coal, gas, and oil still dominate the energy mix, providing nearly 70% of electricity in 2023. At the same time, Japan continues to face the long and complex task of decommissioning the Fukushima plant, a process expected to take several decades. Also read: Ever wondered what ‘GPT’ in ChatGPT stands for?
Industry scandals and challenges Japan’s nuclear industry has faced data falsification, minor accidents, and cover-ups. TEPCO recently reported an alarm system failure at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa. TEPCO President Tomoaki Kobayakawa said: Safety is an ongoing process, which means operators involved in nuclear power must never be arrogant or overconfident The restart of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa highlights Japan’s balancing act: meeting energy needs and climate goals while addressing public fears and safety concerns. For locals, the shadow of Fukushima still looms large.
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