Japan Govt Adopts Bill to Extend N-Reactor Life Span

Tokyo, Feb. 28 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government Tuesday adopted a bill to allow nuclear reactors to be operated beyond the current maximum operating life of 60 years.

The bill, aimed at achieving stable electricity supplies and a decarbonized society, includes a relaxation of the current rule limiting the operating life of nuclear reactors to 40 years in principle, which can be extended to up to 60 years.

The rule was introduced after the March 2011 triple meltdown at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s <9501> Fukushima No. 1 power plant in northeastern Japan.

The bill marks a drastic policy shift. In upcoming parliamentary deliberations, how to deal with safety concerns will be a key issue.

The bill, approved at a cabinet meeting, is designed to revise the electricity business law, the nuclear reactor regulation law, the renewal energy special measures law, the spent nuclear fuel reprocessing law and the atomic energy basic law.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]