Japan to restart world’s largest nuclear power plant after 15 years

Japan is set to reactivate its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant, the largest in the world, nearly 15 years after the Fukushima disaster. Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) announced that operations for one of its seven reactors would begin on Wednesday evening.

The move is part of Japan’s strategic shift to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and meet its 2050 carbon-neutral goal, driven further by the rising energy demands of the AI sector. However, the decision has sparked significant local resistance, with 60% of residents opposing the restart due to safety concerns in the seismically active Niigata prefecture. TEPCO has implemented reinforced tsunami walls and emergency systems, but memories of the 2011 meltdown continue to fuel public distrust.