Crucial Decision Looms for Japan's Tsuruga Nuclear Plant

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority is set to decide on Friday about the potential restart of the Tsuruga nuclear power plant located on a fault line. This marks a pivotal ruling since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. The decision comes amid concerns about earthquake risks and could represent the first denial of a plant restart under new safety guidelines.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) is expected to make a crucial decision on Friday regarding the potential restart of the Tsuruga nuclear power plant, situated above a fault line, state broadcaster NHK reported. This decision is notable as it marks a significant ruling since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.

The ruling on Tsuruga nuclear power plant unit 2 in Fukui prefecture on Japan's western coast could potentially be the first instance of a nuclear plant restart or operation being denied under the regulatory guidelines. The NRA standards prohibit the installation of safety-critical equipment on an active fault line.

Authorities will focus on whether the fault line beneath the reactor building has the potential to become active in the future, NHK noted. Earthquakes are frequent in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active regions, accounting for about one-fifth of global earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater. The catastrophic 2011 earthquake and tsunami that led to the Fukushima meltdown were stark reminders of these risks. NRA chairman Shinsuke Yamanaka stated that if the review board decides against restarting the Tsuruga reactor, it would be the first such rejection since the NRA's creation in 2012.

(With inputs from agencies.)