Japan has restarted a 44-year-old nuclear reactor in Fukui Prefecture. The reactor has been shut down since the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. According to Japanese media it is the first old reactor to be activated after the Japanese government imposed an age limit of 40 years after the disaster. The reopening is in line with Japan’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
A fatal accident occurred in the nuclear reactor in 2004. Hot water and steam leaked from a pipe, leaving five employees dead and six injured.
According to the government, the reactor has now passed all safety tests. But not everyone is reassured about that; for example, local residents have requested a ban from a local court. A Japanese nuclear scientist, Tatsujiro Suzuki, speaks to news agency Reuters has expressed doubts about the transparency of the safety tests. “It seems the industry and government have not learned any lessons from Fukushima,” said Suzuki, who is also on a nuclear energy advisory group.
Japan previously suggested as target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 46 percent by 2030 compared to 2013. Japan is expected to open more nuclear power plants to meet that target.
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