Japan’s trade minister says he will continue with nuclear restarts

Japan Nuclear

Japan’s newly appointed Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry says he will continue with restarting nuclear reactors in the country that are deemed safe.

The trade minister, Yoichi Miyazawa, said he would also move toward restarting Kyushu Electric’s Sendai nuclear plant, according to Reuters. Miyazawa replaces Yuko Obushi, who resigned after less than two months in her position amid allegations that her support groups mismanaged political funds.

All 48 reactors in the country are currently shut down following the 2011 disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The reactors must receive approval from the Nuclear Regulation Agency and the local communities where they are sited, and undergo more stringent safety checks before they can restart. The two-unit Sendai plant passed NRA’s safety check in September, but must still pass operational safety checks by the regulator.

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