Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has reported that the Kyushu Electric Power's two-reactor Sendai plant in southwestern Japan could make changes to the reactor installations of the two units with a view to restart, with the approval of local authorities.

In a statement the Authority said that the applied design and safety features of the Sendai units were deemed to meet the NRA's new regulatory requirements, which were released in July 2013.

"This is a regulatory step to grant permission for the basic design of nuclear reactors and related facilities from the operator," said the NRA.

The NRA made the decision after reviewing an 18,600-page document from Kyushu. This was done through 62 review meetings and conducting field investigations for safety assessment. It also took into consideration public comment received following the publication of its draft assessment.

Japan is nearing the end of its first full year without nuclear power since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, which has put pressure on the manufacturing industry, who have in many ways been reluctant to keep nuclear power offline as imported fossil fuels are hitting any companies’ bottom line in Japan.

"For myself, I would like to proceed with smooth decommissioning (of some plants) and at the same time the restart of nuclear power stations certified as safe," said Yuko Obuchi, the new minister for economy, trade and industry, who oversees the nuclear industry, according to a Reuters report.

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