In a significant move as Japan seeks to stick to nuclear power, three nuclear reactors on the Sea of Japan coast will become the first in the country to operate beyond the 40-year limit after a local governor Wednesday consented to their restarts.

The rebooting of the No. 3 unit at the Mihama plant and the Nos. 1-2 reactors at the Takahama plant, both in Fukui Prefecture and idle since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, will come as the country seeks to meet its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 with continued reliance on atomic power.

But concerns remain among local communities over the safety of restarting the aging reactors operated by Kansai Electric Power Co. and the effectiveness of evacuation plans in the event of an accident. How to dispose of the highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel to be produced from the plants is also an unresolved issue.

Due to stricter safety rules and pervasive public skepticism about nuclear power, only nine reactors have been rebooted in Japan since a total of 50 units were shut down following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, the worst nuclear crisis since the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority gave approval in 2016 for the three units to operate beyond the 40-year limit, granting extensions of up to 20 years, after screening Kansai Electric's stricter safety steps taken for the units.

The 40-year maximum lifespan in principle was introduced after the Fukushima disaster, which was triggered by a massive earthquake and tsunami, due to concern that aging reactors were prone to accidents.

Kansai Electric is expected to soon unveil its plan for resumption of the three units and start preparations such as loading nuclear fuel.

Prior to the approval announced by Fukui Gov. Tatsuji Sugimoto, the mayors of both Mihama and Takahama, where the three units are located, gave their consent in February this year, followed by a nod from the Fukui prefectural assembly on Friday.

Even if the three units are restarted, the Nos. 1-2 units at Takahama plant will suspend operations in early June and the No. 3 reactor at Mihama plant will do so in late October as they need to complete installation of infrastructure to prevent terror attacks.

Japan Atomic Power Co.'s Tokai No. 2 power station in Ibaraki Prefecture has also cleared the nuclear regulator's safety screening for extension of operations by up to 20 years but the process to obtain local consent has yet to be completed.

As required by the Fukui governor, Kansai Electric has promised that it will decide on a temporary site to store spent nuclear fuel from the reactors outside the prefecture by the end of 2023.

After confirming safety measures taken at the three units, Sugimoto met industry minister Hiroshi Kajiyama on Tuesday and was briefed on the government's policies on nuclear generation and regional revitalization.

The Mihama No. 3 unit began commercial operation in 1976. The Takahama No. 1 reactor did so in 1974 and the No. 2 in 1975.

==Kyodo

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