Policy

Japanese PM wants more nuclear restarts, next-generation development

August 25, 2022, 9:30AMANS Nuclear Cafe

Kishida

Having already declared last month his government’s intention to return to service as many as nine idled power reactors in order to ensure stable supplies of energy this winter, Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida yesterday called for additional restarts and endorsed the development and construction of next-generation nuclear plants, according to reports from various news outlets, including Nikkei Asia, the Washington Examiner, and the Los Angeles Times.

Kishida made the comments at the second meeting of Japan’s GX (Green Transformation) Implementation Council, a new group tasked with helping the country achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

A pronuclear PM: The prime minister laid out his expectations for the council at its initial meeting on July 27, stating, “The first thing I expect the GX Implementation Council to do in the next meeting is to clearly identify items requiring political decisions on institutional support measures to maximize the introduction of renewable energy, storage batteries, and energy-saving efforts, as well as specific measures such as the restart of nuclear power plants and future development plans, in order to ensure stable supply of electricity and gas, which will be threatened in the coming winter and over the next few years.”

The fissioning few: While Japan currently has 33 operable reactors, according to the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, only 10 have produced power since 2011–2012: Genkai-3 and -4, Ikata-3, Mihama-3, Ohi-3 and -4, Sendai-1 and -2, and Takahama-3 and -4.

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