The prime minister, Fumio Kishida, said he had instructed a government committee to look into how “next-generation nuclear reactors equipped with new safety mechanisms” could be used to help Japan meet its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. its “green transformation”. The council is expected to submit a report by the end of the year, he said Wednesday. The change in direction, which could include extending the life of existing reactors, has highlighted Japan’s struggle to secure stable energy supplies as a result of the war in Ukraine and skyrocketing energy costs. Successive governments have been forced to reduce Japan’s reliance on nuclear power since the March 2011 disaster, when a powerful tsunami knocked out Fukushima Daiichi’s backup power supply, causing three of its six reactors to collapse. Most of Japan’s nuclear power plants have remained idle since then, with the government saying it will not build new reactors or replace old reactors, fearing a public backlash. If realized, Kishida’s plans would mark a dramatic reversal of that attitude. “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has greatly transformed the global energy landscape … Japan must keep potential crisis scenarios in mind,” he told an energy policy meeting this week. “To overcome an imminent crisis caused by a supply crisis, we must take maximum measures to mobilize all possible policies in the coming years and prepare for any emergency.” Economy and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said it was “extremely important to secure all options for redesigning a stable energy supply for our country. In this regard, we will also consider all options regarding nuclear energy.” Kishida admitted that the government would have to win the support of the public, which has turned against nuclear power since the Fukushima meltdown. Officials believe voters have become more receptive to nuclear power because of rising fuel costs and after an energy crisis in Tokyo during a recent heat wave. The country is highly dependent on imported fossil fuels. “It’s the first step toward normalizing Japan’s energy policy,” said Jun Arima, a program professor at the University of Tokyo’s graduate school of public policy. Seven reactors are currently operating, while three others are shut down for regular safety inspections. Dozens more are still going through a relicensing process under tighter safety standards introduced after the 2011 disaster, which some experts blamed on the “nuclear village” of operators, politicians and regulators. A bigger role for nuclear power in Japan’s energy mix could lead to the restart of seven additional reactors after next summer, including two at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, the world’s largest nuclear plant. Restarting the plant would be particularly controversial since it is run by Tokyo Electric Power, the same company that runs Fukushima Daiichi. The 2011 disaster sent massive amounts of radiation into the atmosphere and forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes. Some areas near the plant remain off limits, while others have only recently reopened to residents. The government will also consider extending the life of existing reactors beyond the legal limit by excluding the period they were shut down – in some cases several years – when calculating their operating time. The units can operate for up to 40 years in principle, but can continue to generate electricity for another 20 years if they undergo safety upgrades and pass inspections conducted by regulators. Japan has set a target for nuclear power generation to account for 20-22% of its electricity supply in 2030. Before the Fukushima meltdown, about a third of its electricity generation came from nuclear power, but in 2020 the proportion was less than 5%. Wires contributed to the report
