Japan Announces Shift in Nuclear Policy, Will Restart More Reactors Amid Energy Crunch

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during a news conference at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 10, 2022. Rodrigo Reyes Marin/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

Japan is looking to restart a number of idle nuclear reactors and will develop new plants using next-generation technologies as the country battles against an energy crunch, said Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday.

The move marks a dramatic reversal from Japan’s policy on nuclear energy a decade after the Fukushima disaster.