Japan makes a decision 15 years after Fukushima. The reactor is starting again

Fifteen years after the Fukushima disaster Japan returns to nuclear energy. The country, which shut down all reactors after the 2011 accident and had a heated dispute over the future of nuclear power for years, is today restarting subsequent units. The 16th reactor since the disaster is to be launched this week, and its restart is the responsibility of the same company that managed the Fukushima Daiichi plant at the time of the disaster.

The change in the rate is due to several factors. Japan still relies largely on imports for energy production, and approximately 30 percent obtains electricity from natural gas. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have shown how vulnerable the country is to external shocks. Added to this is rising energy consumption, driven by data centers and semiconductor factories.

Japan returns to nuclear energy after energy crises

As Toyoshi Fuketa, the former head of the Japanese nuclear regulator, emphasizes, one of the breakthrough moments was the war in Ukraine, which made us realize the scale of the country’s dependence on imported gas. An additional problem has become the conflict with Iran and the risk of limiting LNG supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. Energy security has become one of the main arguments for accelerating the return to nuclear power.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi assumes that nuclear energy production in Japan will double by 2040. However, this does not mean full social consent. Research shows that only 37 percent Of the Japanese, 23 percent support restarting the power plant. are against it, and as many as 40 percent remains undecided. There is even less support for the construction of new reactors.

Japan returns to nuclear energy despite the memory of Fukushima

The return of the atom is particularly visible when the resumption of operation of reactor number 6 at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa power plant. This is the first return of the Tokyo Electric Power Company to nuclear power since the disaster. Environmental organizations and some residents are protesting against this, recalling Tepco’s mistakes in Fukushima, safety issues and previous technical problems in the new power plant.

At the same time, the memory of the effects of the disaster of March 2011 is still vivid. The earthquake and tsunami led to damage to Fukushima Daiichi, a hydrogen explosion and the release of radiation. Thousands of people were evacuated from the areas around the power plant, and many places have not returned to their former life to this day. In Tomioka, the population remains 90 percent. lower than before the disaster, and only a small part of the former inhabitants returned to Futaba.

Japan returns to nuclear energy, but relies on new rules

After Fukushima, Japan decided that the most important change must be independent supervision of the sector. The Parliament established a new Nuclear Energy Regulatory Office, separated from institutions promoting nuclear energy. Today, it is security and stronger supervision that are supposed to convince the public that the country has drawn conclusions from the tragedy of 15 years ago.

The government is also counting on specific economic effects. According to the U.S. Energy Administration, restarting Unit 6 at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa alone could replace about 1.3 million tons of LNG. Atom is intended to help Japan not only stabilize electricity supplies and limit the impact of external crises, but also achieve climate goals. So everything seems to indicate that Japan returns to nuclear energy seriously, although the political and social disputes surrounding this decision will not die down for a long time.