Japan adopts plan to maximize nuclear energy, in major shift

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japan has adopted a plan to extend the lifespan of nuclear reactors, replace the old and even build new ones. That’s a major shift in a country scarred by the Fukushima disaster that once planned to phase out atomic power. In the face of global fuel shortages, rising prices and pressure to reduce carbon emissions, Japan’s leaders have begun to turn back toward nuclear energy. But Thursday’s announcement was their clearest commitment yet after keeping mum on delicate topics like the possibility of building new reactors. Under the new policy, Japan will maximize the use of existing reactors by restarting as many of them as possible and prolonging the operating life of aging ones beyond a 60-year limit. The government also pledged to develop next-generation reactors.