Japan Reboots Nuclear Power Amid Public Opposition

Japan's Kyushu Electric Power Co restarted its No. 2 reactor at the Sendai plant in Kagoshima Prefecture, despite widespread public opposition to nuclear energy. The move comes two years after the country's atomic regulator approved a restart, following a series of equipment checks. The Sendai 2 reactor is expected to begin supplying electricity again on October 21, as the country seeks to revive its nuclear energy production.

Key Takeaways:

The Sendai 2 reactor is the second to be restarted in Japan since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, following the No. 1 unit at the Sendai plant in August.
Kyushu Electric Power Co expects the reactor to begin supplying electricity again on October 21, in an effort to revive Japan's nuclear energy production.
The majority of the Japanese public opposes the restart of reactors, despite the utility's claims that the plant is safe and secure.
Before the Fukushima disaster, nuclear reactors provided nearly 30% of Japan's power needs.
The restart of Sendai 2 comes as the country prepares to persuade the public that it is safe to eat products from the Fukushima Prefecture, four years after the contaminating incident.
The Japanese cabinet, led by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), has pushed to bring all the nation's reactors back online, despite concerns over preparedness for evacuations in the event of another nuclear accident.

Statistics:

Japan's nuclear reactors provided nearly 30% of the country's power needs before the Fukushima disaster.
The Sendai 2 reactor is expected to begin supplying electricity again on October 21.
The majority of the Japanese public opposes the restart of reactors, according to consistent opinion polls.
The Fukushima disaster was the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.

Sources:

Japan's Kyushu Electric Power Co [*]
Japan's nuclear regulator, the Nuclear Regulation Authority [*]
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) [*]