Japan has restarted the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant, the world’s largest by potential capacity, for the first time since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. The plant, operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), resumed operation on Wednesday at 19:02 local time.
Only one of the seven reactors was restarted after the regional governor approved the move last month. Public opinion remains sharply divided, with around 60 percent of local residents opposing the restart. Small protests have taken place, including demonstrations in freezing temperatures by elderly residents near the plant’s entrance.
Yumiko Abe, 73, said, “It’s Tokyo’s electricity that is produced here, so why should the people here be put at risk?” Many residents share concerns about safety and evacuation plans.
TEPCO stated it will carefully verify all plant systems and handle issues transparently. The plant has been upgraded with a 15-meter tsunami wall, elevated emergency power systems, and other safety improvements.
Despite these measures, opposition remains strong. Nearly 40,000 people signed a petition citing the plant’s location on an active seismic fault and previous minor accidents. Critics worry that Japan’s nuclear safety record is not fully reliable.
Following the 2011 Fukushima disaster, Japan shut down all nuclear plants. Since then, 14 reactors have restarted, and 13 are currently operational. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the first TEPCO-run plant to restart since the disaster.
Japan aims to expand nuclear energy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, meet rising electricity demand, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Nuclear power is expected to provide about 20 percent of Japan’s energy by 2040, up from 8.5 percent in 2023-24.
TEPCO President Tomoaki Kobayakawa stressed that safety is an ongoing process and requires constant attention. Meanwhile, Japan continues the decades-long task of decommissioning the Fukushima plant.
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The restart highlights Japan’s energy challenges as it balances public safety concerns with the need for reliable, low-carbon electricity.
