BY FILIPPO PEDRETTI
In 2026 alone, METI’s working group on nuclear power produced more than 300 pages of documents discussing the sector’s development.
Just a couple of weeks ago, the cabinet released the 2025 edition of its nuclear energy ‘white paper’. For the last 10 years or so, the ministry has been producing files like this, ranging from 200 to over 400 pages each.
This may seem like a waste of paper for a country that built its last nuclear power plant 17 years ago. But after over 15 years since the Fukushima disaster Tokyo officials want to reaffirm that reintegrating the nuclear fleet is vital for two reasons. The first has to do with the nation’s dual pursuit of 2030 decarbonization targets; the second, with its energy security.
As geopolitical events reverberate on fluctuating LNG prices, nuclear power is seen as a panacea for energy stability. Government documents defend nuclear as a low-carbon baseload that stabilizes the grid, and plan that it will once again play a major role in the nation’s future.
But the reality of what can be achieved may be different.