Eleven years after the triple meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, Japan is considering a sharp U-turn on its nuclear strategy.
In a surprise statement, Kishida revealed he had directed a government panel to look into how “next-generation nuclear reactors equipped with new safety mechanisms” could be used to help Japan achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. The panel's conclusions are expected to be published at the end of the year.
The plan is effectively a total reversal of the nuclear safety measures the country imposed after a powerful tsunami destroyed Fukushima Daiichi’s backup electricity supply, causing three of its six reactors to suffer meltdowns. In order to prevent a similar disaster from repeating itself, Japanese authorities shut all existing nuclear plants and imposed a moratorium on new nuclear projects.
For over a decade, the Japanese government has avoided building new reactors or replacing ageing reactors...