GreenergyDaily

Oct. 22, 2025

Japan's new prime minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to push for the accelerated revival of nuclear power to tackle inflation, a source of public discontent, with reactor restarts key to reducing costly fuel imports.

Takaichi has appointed Ryosei Akazawa, who was Japan's point person in its recent tariff deal with the U.S., as trade and industry minister - a portfolio that includes energy - signalling a willingness to engage with Washington, including on liquefied natural gas purchases, analysts said.

However, Akazawa said on Wednesday that it was essential to maximise power sources that contribute to energy security and decarbonisation.

"We aim to proceed with nuclear restarts while taking concrete steps to gain the necessary understanding of local communities and stakeholders," he said.

Before the 2011 Fukushima disaster, Japan operated 54 nuclear reactors. Of the 33 that remain operable, 14 have been restarted - a process that takes years. Securing stable new power supply is increasingly urgent as demand is poised to rise from data centre expansion.

Takaichi, an advocate of nuclear power including next-generation fusion energy, has also voiced support for perovskite solar cells - technologies Japan can potentially export - and opposed massive solar projects given their reliance on panels imported from China and the environmental impact.

Costly large-scale renewables projects including offshore wind, already hit by Mitsubishi's withdrawal, may get less political support, industry insiders say. "Takaichi ... in the long term, is unlikely to provide much support for the industry, as she favours nuclear restarts," said an industry source involved in offshore wind policy discussions.