Japan Ends Its Nuclear Shutdown

Japan has given final approval for the restart of two nuclear reactors, a move that will end a total shutdown of the atomic power sector caused by safety fears raised by last year’s crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

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Utility Kansai Electric Power began preparations on Saturday to bring the reactors at the Oi nuclear power station in western Fukui prefecture back online following the restart announcement by Yoshihiko Noda, prime minister.

“The company is striving to restart the Oi No 3 and No 4 reactors with a perfect system, while putting safety first,” Kansai Electric said.

The restarts will ease concerns about possible electricity shortages this summer in Kansai, an important industrial region. It will also raise the hopes of nuclear advocates in Japan and elsewhere that the long-term impact on the atomic sector of the failure of the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant will be limited.

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