Japan restarts world’s largest nuclear power plant after 15-year hiatus

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) restarted part of the world’s largest nuclear power plant on Wednesday, marking the first time the facility has operated in nearly 15 years.

The plant was originally shuttered as a direct consequence of the triple meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station, another facility managed by TEPCO.

The move signals a major shift in Japan’s energy policy more than a decade after the 2011 disaster.

The reactivation of Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s (TEPCO) Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant represents more than a mere operational update; it marks a decisive pivot in Japan’s strategic energy architecture. After a decade of post-Fukushima hesitancy, Tokyo is signaling a newfound urgency to bolster energy security and mitigate a heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels—a vulnerability exacerbated by the price volatility of recent global energy crises.

While the decision faces inevitable domestic headwinds, it reflects a pragmatic calculus. For the world’s fourth-largest economy, nuclear power is viewed as a critical lever to reconcile ambitious decarbonization targets with the necessity of maintaining industrial competitiveness. By securing a stable, low-carbon baseload, Japan aims to insulate its economy from external supply shocks.

The implications of this shift extend well beyond Japanese borders, potentially reshaping the nuclear landscape across the Indo-Pacific. Tokyo’s trajectory may provide political and strategic momentum for South Korea to accelerate its own nuclear program. Perhaps most significantly, the move serves as a high-stakes case study for emerging economies like Vietnam.

Having previously shelved its own nuclear ambitions, Hanoi is expected to closely monitor Japan’s implementation of advanced safety protocols and its management of public sentiment. As Japan integrates nuclear power back into its national grid, the move is poised to recalibrate the broader energy debate across Southeast Asia, offering a potential blueprint for nations navigating the trilemma of energy security, affordability, and net-zero commitments.