nuclear-news

Push towards nuclear power in Japan, but delays, hurdles, opposition make it an unlikely development

To deal with concerns about electricity shortages this winter, Prime
Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday that he will push to have up to nine
nuclear reactors in operation by then. But while 10 reactors are officially
listed as having been restarted, only five are actually providing power.
One of them, Genkai No. 4 in Saga Prefecture, will soon be offline to
finish necessary safety work for the winter. The other five are sitting
idle because they are either finishing safety work needed to be switched
back on, or they are offline for regular inspection.

While there are recent
signs that restarts are growing more acceptable to the public, given
concerns about rising energy prices, opposition nonetheless remains. A
nationwide poll conducted by NNN and the Yomiuri Shimbun on Monday and
Tuesday showed that, as long as reactors meet safety standards set by the
Nuclear Regulation Authority, 54% of respondents supported their restart,
while 37% were opposed.

Anti-nuclear groups could also slow the restart
process by filing requests for temporary injunctions or lawsuits in local
district courts over safety concerns. Victory could stop any restart effort
while the decision is appealed by the operator in a higher court.

Japan Times 15th July 2022

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/07/15/national/kishida-nuclear-power-plants-online-winter/

July 16, 2022 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, politics