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Japan's biggest nuclear plant to restart 15 years after Fukushima
19 Jan 2026

Japan is preparing to restart the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, the world's largest, after a 14-year hiatus.

The plant, which has been offline since 2012 following the Fukushima Daichi disaster (in 2011), is located in Niigata prefecture on the Japan Sea coast.

It has seven reactors and can generate up to 8.2GW of electricity when fully operational.

Reactor No. 6 restart delayed due to alarm malfunction
Restart delay

Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco), which operates the plant, had planned to restart reactor No. 6 on Tuesday.

However, the restart has been delayed after an alarm malfunctioned during a test over the weekend.

The new date for the restart is expected to be announced soon. This reactor's return would increase electricity supply in Tokyo by about 2%.

Tepco's safety measures and local concerns
Safety measures

In light of the Fukushima disaster, Tepco has taken several safety measures at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa.

These include seawalls, watertight doors, mobile diesel-powered generators, and upgraded filtering systems to control radioactive materials.

Despite these efforts, many residents are still concerned about the plant's safety due to seismic activity in the region.

Kazuyuki Takemoto from Kariwa village council expressed skepticism over safety guarantees after past incidents like a 2007 earthquake that damaged the site.

Local opposition and government pressure
Opposition

Local opposition to restarting the plant has been strong, with over 60% of residents within a 30km radius not believing safety conditions have been met.

Ryusuke Yoshida, who lives near the plant, criticized local authorities for succumbing to pressure from the central government.

He said, "The priority of any government should be to protect people's lives."

Tepco's investment and ongoing efforts to win local trust
Investment

To address these concerns, Tepco has pledged to invest JPY 100 billion ($470 million) in Niigata prefecture over the next decade.

Tatsuya Matoba, a Tepco spokesperson, emphasized that ensuring safety is their top priority and gaining local residents' understanding is an ongoing process.

Despite the challenges, restarting Kashiwazaki-Kariwa remains a key part of Japan's energy strategy to meet emissions targets and enhance energy security.