Japan Restarts World's Largest Nuclear Plant

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Japan has restarted operations at the world's largest nuclear power plant for the first time since the 2011 Fukushima disaster forced the country to shut all of its reactors.

Posted by REDIAL at 05:31 PM | 10 COMMENTS | permalink

Japan is reviving nuclear power, balancing the need for more clean energy against the lingering trauma of the 2011 Fukushima disaster. On Wednesday, Tokyo Electric Power -- the same utility that operated the Fukushima plant -- restarted the first reactor at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa complex.

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-- The New York Times (@nytimes.com) Jan 21, 2026 at 6:10 AM

Comments

Trump to Invade Japan!

Demands Nuclear Energy Rights! Offers Free Gold Card Visa to minor girls!

#1 | Posted by Corky at 2026-01-21 06:28 PM

"We have had half a century to find a good solution to the problem of nuclear waste, and we are no closer now than we were in the 1960s. That is because there is no "good solution." We will never be able to find a risk-free method of storing nuclear waste."

U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich

#2 | Posted by SomebodyElse at 2026-01-21 06:29 PM

Just put it in one of the planets. We know no one lives there.

#3 | Posted by boaz at 2026-01-21 08:17 PM

About time.

Nuclear is safer than anything but renewables, and makes a great base load source.

#4 | Posted by DarkVader at 2026-01-21 08:22 PM

"even the worst possible accident postulated by the AEC [Atomic Energy Commission] would not require evacuation of the borough of Middletown. . . it can be seen that it is unnecessary to have specific evacuation routes identified. . .")

Letter to Middletown borough officials from Metropolitan Edison, owners of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, written 5 years before the core melted. Middletown is 3 miles from the reactor.

#5 | Posted by SomebodyElse at 2026-01-21 10:06 PM

Fukame? Fukayou?

Fukusall?

#6 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2026-01-21 10:09 PM

We should store all nuclear waste in Wyoming. No one would notice.

#7 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2026-01-21 10:09 PM

Not much for energy reserves in Japan, so I don't blame them.

At least nuclear accidents result in safer nuclear energy. People learn and take note. Not so much with fossil fuels.

It's those pesky tradeoffs.

But at least, for now, none of those tradeoffs risk exploding nuclear waste high in Earth's atmosphere from a failed attempt to "put it in one of the planets".

#8 | Posted by horstngraben at 2026-01-21 10:59 PM

a failed attempt to "put it in one of the planets".

Not a viable option. Elon would like it though... it would take 5,500 Falcon Heavy launches to get rid of the current US stockpile alone.

#9 | Posted by REDIAL at 2026-01-22 12:19 AM

There doesn't appear to be any great solutions to storing CO2, "holding" it in the atmosphere is working out amazingly bad for our long term prospects as a species.

It would seem the risk/reward may fall in favor of nuclear despite the drawbacks. If we continue to wait for a magic bullet solution while we improve renewables, we'll pass(even more than we have) irreversible tipping points.

#10 | Posted by kwrx25 at 2026-01-22 10:44 AM

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