Japan to Reactivate World's Largest Nuclear Power Plant

Historic Decision After Fukushima Disaster

Japan is on the verge of reactivating the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant, the world's largest nuclear facility, nearly 15 years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. The Niigata prefectural government is expected to give the green light on December 22, 2025 ¹

. The plant, located 220 km northwest of Tokyo, has remained shut down since the Fukushima incident.

Safety Measures and Community Concerns

Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), the operator of both Kashiwazaki-Kariwa and Fukushima Daiichi, has implemented stringent safety measures to prevent a repeat of the 2011 disaster. TEPCO has also committed to providing $641 million in community funding over 10 years to address local concerns ²

. Despite these efforts, public skepticism remains high, with 60% of local residents believing restart conditions have not been met and nearly 70% expressing concerns about TEPCO's operational safety.

Significance and Future Plans

The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, if restarted, will be the first TEPCO-operated reactor to resume operations since Fukushima. The plant has seven units, with the first potentially being activated on January 20, although no official date has been confirmed ²

. This move is part of Japan's broader strategy to reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports by restarting idled nuclear capacity.