Kishida urges Japan restart producing energy through nuclear plants

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
24 Aug 2022 23:00

Fumio Kishida, the Prime Minister of Japan, proposed to restart the country's nuclear power sector in an effort to address rising energy costs brought on by the war in Ukraine.

The Unit 4 reactor building of the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station is seen through a bus window in Okuma, Japan, when the media were allowed into Japan's tsunami-damaged nuclear power plant for the first time since the March 11, 2011 disaster AP Photo/David Guttenfelder, Pool, File)

In an effort to combat rising energy costs brought on by the war in Ukraine, the prime minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, on Wednesday, called for an initiative to restart the nation's nuclear power sector.

Since the start of the Ukraine war six months ago, Japan, one of many nations seeking to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, has seen pressure on its energy sources. However, as part of its attempts to achieve carbon neutrality, the Japanese government has updated and tightened nuclear safety regulations and intends for nuclear power to produce 20-22% of the nation's electricity by 2030.

After the Fukushima tragedy in 2011, which prompted the suspension of several nuclear reactors due to safety concerns, such a decision could be considered highly contentious. In Japan, nuclear energy accounted for around a third of power output prior to the Fukushima accident, but by 2020, that percentage had dropped to fewer than 5%.

Kishida, at an energy policy meeting, said that the war in Ukraine "has vastly transformed the world's energy landscape" and so "Japan needs to bear in mind potential crisis scenarios."

He added that if safety can be ensured, Japan should think about developing next-generation nuclear reactors, and the government would talk about opening more nuclear facilities and extending reactor lifespans.

After a devastating tsunami in March 2011 led to a meltdown at the Fukushima plant, the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl, Kishida urged for "concrete conclusions by the end of the year" on the sensitive subject.

10 of Japan's 33 nuclear reactors are back in service 11 years later, albeit not all of them are, and the nation is still highly reliant on imported fossil fuels.

The restart of seven more reactors has received preliminary approval from the national nuclear safety watchdog, although local populations frequently oppose such actions.

"In addition to securing the operations of the 10 reactors that are already back online, the government will spearhead an effort to do all it takes to realize the restart" of the others whose safety has been approved, Kishida said.

The PM further urged policymakers to consider "constructing next-generation nuclear reactors equipped with new safety mechanisms."

On a different but related topic, Tokyo Electric Power's share price increased by 9.96% and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' price increased by 6.85% during the afternoon trading as local media revealed the potential intentions.