Japan Aiming to Rebuild Up to 5 Nuclear Reactors by 2040s

Tokyo, June 5 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s industry ministry on Friday drew up a draft target to rebuild two to five nuclear power reactors by the 2040s as part of efforts to ensure stable electricity supplies. It is the first numerical goal for reactor replacement released since the March 2011 severe accident at Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. By setting a concrete numerical goal, the ministry will make it easier to secure human resources in the nuclear power industry. It plans to rebuild an additional nine reactors by the 2050s, bringing the total number of reactors subject to replacement to 11-14. The target was included in a draft proposal for revising the action guidelines on nuclear energy policy presented to the day’s meeting of a subgroup of the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy, which advises the industry minister. It will be formalized at a meeting of related cabinet ministers. Since reactors that have been in operation for 60 years or more are being decommissioned one after another, the country’s power supply capacity is expected to decline considerably in and after the 2040s, according to an estimation included in the proposal. Because 2.2 million to 5.5 million kilowatts of generation capacity are needed, the ministry proposed the target for replacing nuclear power plants to meet this level. The draft proposal identifies the safe and steady decommissioning of the tsunami-stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture as the highest priority. It also includes efforts to develop next-generation reactors that are safer than existing models. In February 2025, the government adopted a new basic energy plan, which stipulates a policy to make maximum use of nuclear energy, in a turnaround from the previous push to reduce the country’s dependence on nuclear power, adopted after the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 plant. The government has set a target of raising the share of nuclear power in the country’s energy supply mix to about 20 pct in fiscal 2040 from 9.4 pct in fiscal 2024. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]