Niigata Vote Clears Path to Restart Japan’s Largest Nuclear Plant

Overview

• The Niigata prefectural assembly approved a confidence motion backing Governor Hideyo Hanazumi, effectively granting local political clearance for reactivation.
• Public broadcaster NHK reported TEPCO is considering bringing reactor 6 online on Jan. 20, though the utility declined to confirm the timetable.
• A prefectural survey found 60% of residents believe restart conditions have not been met and nearly 70% are concerned about TEPCO’s operation, with roughly 300 protesters gathering outside the assembly.
• Japan’s trade ministry estimates the first unit could raise electricity supply to the Tokyo area by about 2% as the government pursues energy security and climate goals with a target of nuclear reaching 20% by 2040.
• Reactors 6 and 7 were certified to meet post‑Fukushima safety standards in 2017, and this would mark TEPCO’s first nuclear restart since Fukushima alongside a 100 billion yen local investment pledge.