Photo/Illutration Japan Atomic Power Co.’s Tokai No. 2 nuclear power plant in Tokai, Ibaraki Prefecture, in March 2021 (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

TOKAI, Ibaraki Prefecture—The head of the village government here hosting the Japan Atomic Power Co.’s Tokai No. 2 nuclear power plant has acknowledged the need to restart operations of the plant after nearly 15 years.

The Tokai No. 2 nuclear plant is the only commercial nuclear plant in the Tokyo metropolitan area. It has been shut down since it was damaged in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.

Osamu Yamada, 64, the Tokai mayor, said at a meeting of the village assembly on June 10, “I will make clear my position that the restart of operations is necessary,” provided that safety work is completed and other conditions are met.

The mayor had previously stated that he was “neutral” on the issue, but changed his position to show his approval.

Yamada at the village assembly meeting that day announced his candidacy for a fourth term in the mayoral election, which is expected to be held this fall.

He then said that he would “go into the election with a clear idea” about the resumption of operations, and that he would “accept the results of the election as one of the factors” for making a final decision.

Yamada told reporters, “I expressed my opinion as a candidate in the election. The final decision, including that of the assembly, will be made at a separate time.”

EVACUATION PLANS FOR 920,000

Yamada is the first mayor to express approval for the restart of the Tokai No. 2 plant.

However, there are still high hurdles to overcome before restarting the plant.

The plant is subject to a safety agreement known as the “Ibaraki method,” which requires the prior consent of Tokai village, Ibaraki Prefecture and five neighboring cities—Mito, Hitachi, Hitachiota, Hitachinaka and Naka.

Currently, there is a difference in opinion between the village and the five cities.

Yasushi Takahashi, mayor of Mito, the prefectural capital, cautioned against Yamada’s remarks on the day, saying, “I believe that the restart of the plant is not possible without the understanding of the citizens.”

In 2021, the Mito District Court ordered an injunction against the operation of the plant due to inadequate evacuation plans of the surrounding municipalities. The Tokyo High Court is continuing to hear the case.

Approximately 920,000 people live within a 30-kilometer radius of the plant. This is the largest number of residents living in proximity to any nuclear power plant in Japan.

The central government has mandated that 14 municipalities within this 30-kilometer radius of the plant formulate evacuation plans, but six municipalities have yet to do so.

The sheer size of the population has made the selection of evacuation sites, means of transportation and routes a challenge. 

Furthermore, the foundation of the seawall that is part of the plant's safety measures was found to be inadequately built, and Japan Atomic Power has postponed the completion of its construction until December 2026.

Ibaraki Governor Kazuhiko Oigawa said at a news conference on May 30, “Once an effective evacuation plan is in place, we will gather the opinions of the people of the prefecture based on that plan, and make all decisions within that context.”

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