Statement by Takeshi Niinami, Chairperson of Keizai Doyukai on Restart of Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant in Eastern Japan

October 29, 2024

Takeshi Niinami
Chairperson, Keizai Doyukai

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1. Today, Tohoku Electric Power Co., Inc. has reactivated the reactor of its Onagawa nuclear power plant's No. 2 unit to resume operation. The restart marks the first as a nuclear power plant that has a boiling water reactor (BWR) like those in the Fukushima accident, as well as the first in eastern Japan, since the area suffered the 2011 disaster. We respect the efforts until today of the people in the seriously affected local municipalities and all those concerned.
2. Demand for electricity is expected to rise substantially going forward, in business fields such as semiconductor, datacenter, and generative AI. Meanwhile, nuclear power generation is one of the crucial elements in Japan's power source mix for its higher energy self-sufficiency ratio and decarbonization initiatives. We, corporate executives, highly welcome the resumption of the operation.
3. Japan's latest safety standards for nuclear power plants are deemed the world's toughest. The operators of the plants, which cleared such standards, should elaborate on the operation to gain trust from stakeholders in the local communities and wider society. We hope that such efforts will promote restarts of other plants as well.
4. Japan's 7th Strategic Energy Plan is now under discussion for its implementation. How to secure stable energy supply, through measures including restarting nuclear power plants, is an essential topic that impacts the future of our nation. Keizai Doyukai is determined to play its responsible role in efforts such as thorough deliberations with its diverse stakeholders, aiming for progress in the initiatives.

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