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Japan signals return to nuclear power to stabilise energy supply

Aug 24 (Reuters) - Japan will restart more idled nuclear plants and look at developing next-generation reactors, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday, setting the stage for a major policy shift on nuclear energy a decade after the Fukushima disaster.

The comments from Kishida - who also said the government would look at extending the lifespan of existing reactors - highlight how the Ukraine crisis and soaring energy costs have forced both a change in public opinion and a policy rethink toward nuclear power.

Japan has kept most of its nuclear plants idled in the decade since a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011 triggered a nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant.

Kishida told reporters he had instructed officials to come up with concrete measures by the year end, including on "gaining the understanding of the public" on sustainable energy and nuclear power.

Government officials met on Wednesday to hammer out a plan for so-called "green transformation" aimed at retooling the world's third-largest economy to meet environmental goals. Nuclear energy, which was deeply opposed by the public in the aftermath of the Fukushima crisis, is now seen by some in government as a component for such green transformation. ...continue reading

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A passenger car was captured speeding across the frame from left to right by a security camera just moments before a fatal crash in Iida City, Nagano Prefecture, that claimed the lives of four vocational school students.

A fire broke out on the evening of April 25th on an electronic billboard attached to the Yodobashi Camera commercial complex in front of JR Osaka Station, prompting a large emergency response. No injuries were reported.

Organic fluorine compounds known as PFAS—suspected to be harmful to human health—have been detected at concentrations exceeding the national provisional target in rivers and groundwater at 242 sites across 22 prefectures, according to a government survey.

The Japanese government will begin issuing blue tickets for bicycle traffic violations in April 2026, with fines including 5,000 yen for ignoring stop signs and up to 12,000 yen for riding while using a smartphone.

A 26-year-old woman was arrested in the early hours of April 24th in Kasuya Town, Fukuoka Prefecture, on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. While admitting to the offense, she claimed, "I ate chocolate that contained alcohol."

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The Japanese government held its first meeting on April 25th to address support measures for the Employment Ice Age Generation, a group that has recently become the focus of active policy discussions across political parties.

In response to a third-party committee confirming five cases of power harassment involving senior officials in Ōnojo, including the deputy mayor, the city government held a press conference on April 24th.

Tottori Prefecture and the Kingdom of Jordan, both exhibitors at Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, have formed a symbolic partnership dubbed the "Sand Alliance," uniting over their shared cultural and environmental connection to sand.

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru has announced fixed price cuts on gasoline. Gasoline prices will be lowered by 10 yen, or about 7 cents, per liter starting in May. (NHK)

George Glass, the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Japan, held his first meeting with Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya to discuss tariff measures under the Trump administration and efforts to strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance.

A Chinese man sentenced to death for the fatal stabbing of a Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen has been executed, according to diplomatic sources.

Prime Minister Ishiba has clarified his stance on ongoing trade negotiations with the Trump administration, stating that security and trade are separate matters and that discussions on security should not be linked to tariffs.

As former U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policies—particularly tariffs—once again become a topic of global attention, Japanese citizens are voicing a wide range of opinions.