The world’s largest nuclear power plant, Japan’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa facility, was restarted on Wednesday for the first time since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, its operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) confirmed, reigniting public debate over nuclear safety.

According to TEPCO spokesperson Tatsuya Matoba, one reactor at the Niigata prefecture plant was brought back online at 7:02 pm local time after receiving approval from the regional governor last month. Despite the clearance, public opinion in the area remains deeply divided.

Protests continued outside the facility, with dozens of residents - many of them elderly - demonstrating in freezing conditions near the plant’s entrance. Local residents argue they bear the risks while electricity generated at the site is mainly supplied to Tokyo.

A September survey showed that around 60 percent of residents oppose the restart, while 37 percent support it. TEPCO has said it will carefully verify the integrity of all facilities and address any issues transparently.

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, located along the Sea of Japan coast, has seven reactors but only one has been restarted so far. The plant was shut down after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami triggered a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, also operated by TEPCO.

Japan is now moving to revive nuclear power as part of its strategy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and meet rising energy demands driven by technologies such as artificial intelligence. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has publicly backed the renewed use of nuclear energy.

Since the Fukushima disaster, 14 reactors across Japan have resumed operations under strict safety regulations, with 13 currently active as of mid-January. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the first TEPCO-run reactor to restart since 2011.

Despite safety upgrades, including a 15-metre-high tsunami wall and elevated emergency power systems, residents remain concerned about evacuation plans, seismic risks, and TEPCO’s past safety lapses.

Opposition groups recently submitted a petition with nearly 40,000 signatures warning that the plant sits on an active fault line and was previously damaged in a 2007 earthquake.

Japan continues to rely heavily on imported fossil fuels, with nearly 70 percent of electricity in 2023 generated from coal, gas, and oil. Under government plans, nuclear power is expected to provide about 20 percent of the country’s energy supply by 2040.

Meanwhile, the long-term decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi plant remains ongoing and is expected to take decades to complete.