Japan has restarted a nuclear reactor at the world’s largest nuclear power plant, almost fifteen years after the Fukushima disaster forced the country to shut down all its reactors and rethink its energy future.
The restart took place at the Kashiwazaki Kariwa plant in Niigata prefecture, a facility that had remained dormant since the 2011 earthquake and tsunami triggered one of the worst nuclear accidents in history. For many in Japan, the decision reopens painful memories of displacement, fear and long lasting environmental damage.
Government officials say the move is part of efforts to stabilise the country’s energy supply and reduce dependence on imported fuel. They insist that stricter safety measures are now in place and that lessons from Fukushima have shaped new regulations.
But the restart has also revived public unease. Some residents and activists remain worried about safety and emergency preparedness, arguing that trust, once broken, is slow to return.
Nearly fifteen years after Fukushima changed the country forever, Japan’s return to nuclear power highlights the difficult balance between public confidence and the weight of collective memory.