Japan is poised to take a major step in its post-Fukushima energy shift as the Niigata regional assembly prepares to endorse the restart of the world’s largest nuclear power plant, nearly 15 years after the 2011 disaster reshaped the country’s energy policy. Approval would mark a watershed moment in Tokyo’s effort to revive nuclear power to bolster energy security and cut reliance on imported fossil fuels.
The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant, located about 220 kilometers northwest of Tokyo, was shut down along with dozens of other reactors after a massive earthquake and tsunami triggered a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. Operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), the same utility responsible for Fukushima, the facility has remained offline amid public opposition, regulatory hurdles, and lingering distrust.
If the Niigata assembly backs Governor Hideyo Hanazumi in a confidence vote on Monday, TEPCO could move ahead with restarting the first of the plant’s seven reactors as early as January 20, according to public broadcaster NHK. TEPCO has declined to confirm a timeline but says it is committed to ensuring such an accident is never repeated.
Japan has already restarted 14 of the 33 reactors still deemed operable as it seeks to reduce dependence on energy imports. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa would be the first reactor restart under TEPCO since Fukushima and is seen as symbolically and politically significant. The first unit alone could increase electricity supply to the Tokyo metropolitan area by about 2%, according to government estimates.
Despite the government’s push, public resistance remains strong. A Niigata prefectural survey published in October found that 60% of residents believe conditions for restarting the plant have not been met, and nearly 70% said they were worried about TEPCO’s ability to safely operate the facility. To ease concerns, TEPCO has pledged to invest 100 billion yen over the next decade into the prefecture, though skepticism persists.
Opposition is particularly fierce among Fukushima evacuees who relocated to Niigata after the disaster. Ayako Oga, a farmer and anti-nuclear activist who fled the Fukushima exclusion zone in 2011, said the proposed restart has reignited trauma from the catastrophe. She plans to protest outside the assembly building as lawmakers vote, saying the risk of another nuclear accident cannot be dismissed.
Even Governor Hanazumi, who endorsed the restart last month, has expressed unease about long-term reliance on nuclear energy. He has said he hopes Japan can eventually transition to energy sources that do not provoke public anxiety, underscoring the political sensitivity surrounding nuclear power.
The restart comes as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government pushes to strengthen energy security amid rising fuel costs and growing electricity demand. Imported fossil fuels currently account for roughly 60% to 70% of Japan’s power generation, and last year the country spent more than 10 trillion yen on liquefied natural gas and coal. Officials also expect electricity demand to rise despite Japan’s shrinking population, driven by the rapid expansion of energy-intensive AI data centers.
To meet those needs while achieving climate targets, Japan aims to double nuclear power’s share of electricity generation to 20% by 2040. Energy analysts say public acceptance of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa’s restart would represent a critical milestone toward that goal. Momentum is already building elsewhere, with Kansai Electric Power announcing surveys for a new reactor in western Japan, the first since Fukushima.
For critics like Oga, however, the revival of nuclear power is a painful reminder of unresolved risks. As Japan edges closer to restarting its largest nuclear facility, the debate reflects a nation still grappling with the legacy of Fukushima and the difficult trade-offs between safety, energy security, and economic necessity.
