The crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant is seen in Okumamachi, Fukushima prefecture, in northern Japan on March 20, 2011. A Japanese panel voted Thursday to allow reactor replacement. File Photo by Air Force Services Co/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 22 (UPI) — A Japanese nuclear power panel on Thursday agreed to build new reactor units to replace decommissioned ones, the first since the disastrous earthquake and tsunami that hampered the Fukushima plant in 2011.
The panel, created by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government, approved a plan to extend the lifespan of reactors to more than the current 60 years along with allowing new reactor construction, essentially replacing policies created since Fukushima.
“We will tackle the backend issue of high-level radioactive waste with all-out efforts,” Kishida said of past issues regarding where to dispose of nuclear waste.
Japan is facing increasing pressure to respond to the rapidly rising cost of natural gas and coal because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has caused a global energy crisis. Kishida said Japan’s return to nuclear is needed for the country’s push toward “greener” energy sources.
Ultimately, the government aims to raise about $152 billion by issuing “green transformation” bonds to spur investment in decarbonization projects.
Japan’s turn back toward nuclear energy comes as it also struggles with energy self-sufficiency. The country produces 13.4% of its energy domestically in 2021, lower than most other developed countries.
The panel’s decision also reflects a shift in public opinion about nuclear energy. Protesters around the country called for an end to Japan’s nuclear power ambitions after the Fukushima disaster exposed vulnerabilities in the way the country handled nuclear meltdowns.
While some vocal opposition remains, energy prices and time have softened the position against nuclear power in the nation of islands.
Japan’s economy ministry said it will decide in the future if nuclear reactors should continue operating from the standpoint of electricity supply as it moves toward a carbon-neutral society.