The country is nearing approving the restart of the world's largest atomic energy station—marking the initial occasion it would be running since the catastrophic 2011 Fukushima event.
Hideyo Hanazumi, governor of the Niigata region where the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa atomic station is based, announced he has approved for the phased recommencement.
The initiative to resume operations at the station, operated by the Tokyo Electric Power Company, still needs consent from the prefecture's government assembly and the nation's atomic regulatory agency before it can move forward.
Assuming consent is granted, it would be the inaugural occasion Tokyo Electric Power would be allowed to resume reactor functioning in Japan since its Fukushima facility went into meltdown in the wake of a tsunami.
Regional Residents Divided on Restart
Local inhabitants in Niigata are divided over whether the plant should be restarted or not.
Hanazumi stated at a news conference on the end of the week that his ruling would be discussed in December at a prefectural government assembly, where he would pursue the body's consent.
The authorization would be for the recommencement of operations at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant's sixth reactor, subsequently the seventh reactor.
Context and Corporate Recovery Strategy
The restart of activities at the plant is part of Tepco's business reconstruction plan following the Fukushima meltdown, which was resulted from a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and massive tsunami.
When the station's units were flooded by the tidal wave, it led to the release of radiation and required numerous residents to be evacuated from the region.
Japan mandated all its nuclear power plant reactors to be deactivated in 2011 in the wake of the disaster. Afterward, 14 reactors have been reactivated.
The company was ordered to pay huge amounts in compensation to those harmed and is also covering the plant's decommissioning costs.
Local Opinion and Worries
A study issued by Niigata prefecture recently suggested that 50% of its locals supported the plant's restart, while nearly half were against it. It also revealed that almost seven in ten of residents in the area were concerned about the utility managing the station.
Power Targets and Future
The governor's approval shows a inclination among various Japanese to progress to increased use of nuclear power to cut use of carbon-based fuels, as the nation aims for a goal of carbon neutrality.
