Japan plans to rebuild ageing nuclear plants to boost power supply, NHK reports

Japan plans to rebuild aging nuclear reactors — 2–5 by the 2040s and 11–14 by the 2050s — under a draft policy to be presented by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, NHK reported. The move signals a policy shift toward greater reliance on atomic power to secure stable electricity, reduce costly fuel imports and meet rising demand (notably from AI data centres). The government aims to raise nuclear’s share of electricity to about 20% by fiscal 2040 (from 9.4% in fiscal 2024), providing greater predictability for utilities and potential positive implications for domestic power producers, construction and reactor maintenance suppliers, while weighing long-term lifecycle and safety decisions for reactors approaching or past 60 years of operation.