Minister Inspects Kashiwazaki-Kariwa N-Plant in Japan

Niigata, April 26 (Jiji Press)–Japanese industry minister Ryosei Akazawa has visited Tokyo Electric Power Holdings Inc.’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture, central Japan. Akazawa made the visit Saturday after the No. 6 reactor of the plant restarted commercial operations on April 16 for the first time in about 14 years. “I could feel the high level of safety awareness among workers at the site,” the minister told reporters. It was the first time that an industry minister has inspected the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant since the March 2011 triple meltdown at TEPCO’s tsunami-stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant in northeastern Japan. In December last year, Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi, who had agreed to the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, requested Akazawa to visit the facility. During the visit, Akazawa inspected safety measures and observed an outdoor water discharge drill. The minister later held talks with Hanazumi. The governor called on the government to continue to work on seven steps, including efforts to improve safety. Akazawa told reporters that “the central government will also take the lead in carefully explaining the need for nuclear energy.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]