TOKYO—Japan on Tuesday restarted one of its nuclear reactors for the first time since new safety requirements were introduced after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, ending a nearly two-year period when all the nation’s reactors had been offline.

Kyushu Electric Power Co. began removing control rods from the No. 1 reactor at the Sendai nuclear power plant in southern Japan at 10:30 a.m. local time. The company said the reactor should begin generating electricity by the end of the week and resume commercial operation by early September following inspections. The plant’s second reactor is scheduled to be brought back online later this year.

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Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his government have said they want the reactors back online to cut the nation’s dependence on imported energy. In July, the industry ministry approved a new target that calls for nuclear to account for as much as 22% of the nation’s electricity by 2030. Clean-energy sources will account for up to 24%, according to the program.

Mr. Abe said Monday that the new safety standards were “at the highest level in world.”

Polls, however, have shown that a majority of Japanese oppose the restarts, and the issue has been a factor in driving down Mr. Abe’s approval ratings. Critics cite the environmental risks in a nation prone to earthquakes and other natural disasters. In addition, efforts to clean up the Fukushima plant and other heavily contaminated areas have been mired by repeated radiation leaks and other issues. The cleanup is expected to take decades as tens of thousands of residents remain displaced.

Will it trigger another incident of Fukushima nuclear leakage?

On March 11, 2011, one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded triggered a tsunami that killed nearly 16,000 people in Japan and inundated the Fukushima power plant.

Read full story from:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/japan-restarts-first-reactor-since-fukushima-disaster-1439259270

and video:
https://sg.screen.yahoo.com/wall-street-journal-sg/japan-restarts-nuclear-reactor-151404159.html
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I understand why those people would go on a protest. I mean look at what just happened just a few years ago!

I heard it in the news yesterday...
Personally, I don't like nuclear energy but I think Abe's government is being a little bit"uncomitted". I say this because after what happened with the tsunami, Japan's energetical power drastically dropped (apart from Fukushima lots of nuclear plants were shut down either for security reasons or damages).
They realised they were too dependent on nuclear power and announced that they would promote and establish new energetical sources (be them renewable or non-renewable) in order to have... let's say... a backup.

Also, a great part of the population doesn't agree with this decision. They want other solutions apart from nuclear energy, and I understand that.
I am not very informed on the topic since I have been out of touch from Japan's politics a while now.

Though, would it be a better idea to currently rely on nuclear power whilst finding alternatives rather than just simply look for them without a good current energy resource? If they do indeed plan to change to clean energy they do not have to do it in the absence of nuclear power do they?

I mean sometimes it's more efficient to keep something first in order to more effectively find alternatives.

I guess I do understand that if you had no other power source to rely on or choice, that there would be a struggle for clean energy resources and such, just like how suddenly due to Ebola outbreaks massive amounts of research suddenly went into it.

I personally am not informed very well with these issues so I wouldn't know, but just a thought.

there's only one answer:
Solar freaking Roadways.

>>3 I get your point and that's true, but how have they been managing until now without nuclear energy then? Well depending on that I would say yes or no to their nuclear restart. If they were using mainly fossil fueled energies then obviously nuclear energy is better.
However, I think restarting all nuclear plants is wise. If they are in perfect conditions then that's fine but I know for a fact that there are some which still present unstability and safety issues.

Sorry, mistake in the reply: I do not think it's wise.

>>5>>6 You do know the main reason why Japan uses nuclear energy right?
In short -
It's because Japan does not have that many natural resources like "petroleum oil, gas and coal" on the main islands of Japan, as it's fare more cost effective for Japan to use nuclear power than to in port tons of coal or petroleum oil.

It may not be wise choice for Japan but it's might be their only best choice for the time being

>>4
Haha yeah, this needs to be done hahaha. Solar panel shirts solar panel everything XD.
Then again solar power is inefficient at the moment, what is it 15%? IDK but yeah.

>>5
I truly don't know to be honest, need someone more educated in this matter to say something. I can't really make an opinion on something I really don't have a clue about haha, I agree though, it does depend on the circumstances.

There choses are pritty bad, I just hope it doesn't backfire again. Power plants are really dangerous especally after alot of there cars were exploding reasently.

>>7 I already know about that. However, they have been ablte to manage pretty well with nuclear energy providance down to the minimum this past 4 years. I am very curious about how they have done it.

Also, I am not saying to not to start any nuclear power station. If the stations are in good conditions then that's fine by me, what I think it's unwise is to restart stations that still give problems (Fukushima, Sendai...etc.)

And as I said before, obviously it is way less polluting nuclear energy (under safe conditions) than fossil fuels. Apart from being for Japan cheaper to produce than importing the latter.

Either way, lets see how it unfolds. ( n - n )