TOKYO, June 5, (V7N)— Japan’s industry ministry said Friday the nation needs to replace up to 14 ageing nuclear reactors by the 2050s, as Tokyo turns back toward atomic energy more than 15 years after the Fukushima meltdown.
The proposal comes as Japan rushes to secure enough power generation capacity to meet surging electricity demand, especially for new technologies such as artificial intelligence, data centers, and semiconductor factories.
Under the draft plan, presented to a panel of experts, the ministry stressed that Japan needs to replace up to five nuclear reactors by the 2040s and a total of around 14 by the 2050s.
The scenario assumes that nuclear would meet about 20% of Japan’s energy demand during those periods, compared with just under 10% now, the ministry said.
“We will promote this initiative with a view to replacing at least this number of reactors in order to ensure a stable supply” of electricity, the proposal said.
This is the first time the government has outlined specific targets for reactor replacement, Kyodo News reported.
Relevant ministers will review the draft at a later date, according to local media.
Japan’s power industry estimates that by the 2040s, the nation will face a shortfall of 5.5 million kilowatts, roughly equivalent to the power generated by five reactors, Kyodo said.
Japan shut down all nuclear power after a massive earthquake and tsunami triggered meltdowns at three reactors at the Fukushima plant in 2011.
But it now wants to revive atomic energy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and meet growing energy needs from AI.
Before the Fukushima crisis, nuclear power covered around a third of Japan’s electricity needs.
