![]() This is a far cry from the envisaged 20 to 22 per cent outlined in the government’s Strategic Energy Plan.ĭue to construction times of at least one decade, building new nuclear power plants is not a solution to the immediate energy challenge either.Īnother hurdle for restarting nuclear reactors stems from safety related class action lawsuits and court rulings against restarts, such as the recent case concerning Hokkaido Electric’s Tomari Nuclear Power Plant. The share of electricity produced by nuclear power plants dropped to just 4 per cent in 2020 after reaching 6 per cent in 2018. But changes in the global climate are causing sea levels to rise, increasing the potential for larger tsunamis to damage the nuclear power plants along Japan’s coasts.īy January 2022, 17 out of Japan’s 35 available nuclear reactors were approved to be restarted by the NRA, but not all were able to produce electricity due to ongoing refurbishment and maintenance. New mandatory tsunami protection walls are required to exceed the largest ever recorded tsunami. But these standards are aimed more toward the causes of the Fukushima nuclear accident rather than new threats, such as cyber security and climate change. New safety standards introduced in 2013 aim to minimise risk as much as possible. To be restarted, they have to undergo a time-consuming refurbishment process and pass safety screenings by Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA). Nuclear power plants are currently in the process of being restarted. But calling for nuclear reactors to be restarted is not the answer to the current energy crisis. Japan’s energy self-sufficiency rate has since plummeted, leaving the country vulnerable to price volatility in global energy markets. For the first time since the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, a slim majority of Japanese citizens favour restarting the country’s nuclear reactors.Īfter the Fukushima disaster, Japan shut down its nuclear power plants due to safety concerns. ![]() Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has called for more nuclear reactors to be restarted. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shocked global energy markets and caused rising fuel prices. Economics, Politics and Public Policy in East Asia and the PacificĪuthor: Florentine Koppenborg, Technical University of Munich ![]()
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