by Alimat Aliyeva
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has approved a change
to the rules governing the construction of special safety
facilities at nuclear power plants. The decision effectively gives
operators more time to complete facilities designed to protect
reactors in the event of a terrorist attack or another severe
accident.
Under the previous rules, operators had to complete these
facilities within five years of receiving approval for the plant’s
construction plans. Under the revised approach, the five-year
period will instead begin when a reactor starts commercial
operation. The change is expected to prevent several reactors from
having to stop operating simply because their additional safety
facilities were not completed on time.
One of the main reactors affected is Unit 2 at the Onagawa
Nuclear Power Station in Miyagi Prefecture. Its deadline had been
approaching in December 2026, meaning the reactor could have faced
an operational suspension if the required facilities were not
completed. Under the new rules, the plant can continue operating
while construction proceeds.
The same change will affect other major nuclear facilities. For
example, the deadline for Unit 6 at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear
Power Station in Niigata Prefecture is expected to move from
September 2029 to April 2031. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is one of the
largest nuclear power stations in the world, with seven reactor
units and a total capacity of more than 8 GW.
The facilities being discussed are known as Specific Severe
Accident Response Facilities. They are designed to provide
additional protection and allow operators to respond to a serious
emergency even if the main control room or other important systems
are damaged, including in scenarios involving an intentional
aircraft strike or terrorist attack.
The decision has nevertheless attracted criticism. Opponents
argue that these facilities should be completed before a reactor is
allowed to operate and that changing the deadline could be seen as
a concession to electricity companies struggling with construction
delays. Supporters of the reform say it provides a more realistic
timetable without lowering safety standards.
The issue is particularly important for Japan because the
country has been gradually restarting nuclear reactors that were
shut down following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi disaster. Nuclear
power has become an important part of Japan’s efforts to secure a
stable electricity supply while reducing carbon emissions.
Interestingly, the original five-year deadline has proved
difficult for operators to meet. According to reports, only one of
the 12 reactors requiring these facilities had completed them
within the original deadline. Several others have experienced
significant delays because the projects are technically complex and
require large-scale construction work.
As of August 2026, Japan’s nuclear fleet is still in the process
of recovering from the long shutdown that followed Fukushima. The
country’s nuclear regulator continues to apply strict safety
requirements, while the government is simultaneously seeking to
increase the role of nuclear energy in the national power mix.
The new policy therefore reflects a difficult balance: Japan
wants to restart more nuclear reactors, but it also needs to
maintain strict safety and security standards. How successfully
operators complete these additional facilities will remain an
important test for the country’s nuclear-energy policy.