Japan is awaiting a decision on Friday from Niigata Prefecture Governor Hideyo Hanazumi on whether the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant can restart some reactors for the first time since the Fukushima disaster.
The announcement, due at 4 p.m. (0700 GMT), will determine whether Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) can move ahead with plans to relaunch units 6 and 7 at the facility, which can generate 2,710 megawatts—about a third of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa’s 8,212-MW capacity.
Approval would clear the last major hurdle for TEPCO, marking its first nuclear restart since the March 2011 tsunami destroyed Fukushima Daiichi and triggered the shutdown of all 54 reactors then in operation.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has said she backs further nuclear restarts to strengthen energy security, with imported fuel still providing 60 % to 70 % of Japan’s electricity. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said on Friday the restart was “extremely important” for reducing power costs and securing low-carbon supply.
It was unclear whether Governor Hanazumi’s decision might be influenced by a report issued on Thursday by Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority, which found inadequate management of confidential security documents at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa.
TEPCO has said it plans to decommission some of the plant’s remaining five units. In July, Kansai Electric Power said it had begun surveys for what would be Japan’s first new reactor project since 2011.
TEPCO shares were down 1.3 % on Friday, outperforming the Nikkei index, which fell 2.3 %.
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China’s Ministry of Commerce announced on Friday that it will introduce a licensing system for steel exports starting in 2026, covering around 300 steel products.
Venezuela’s oil shipments have plunged following the United States’ seizure of a tanker earlier this week.
The Kremlin on Friday dismissed proposals for a ceasefire to allow a territorial referendum in Ukraine, describing any pause in hostilities as a tactical ploy rather than a genuine step toward ending the conflict.
A new batch of photographs from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate has been released by the House Oversight Committee, shedding light on the financier’s connections with prominent political, business, and cultural figures.
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
Iran is preparing to host a multilateral regional meeting next week in a bid to mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Kyiv has escalated its naval campaign against Moscow’s economic lifelines, claiming a successful strike on a vessel suspected of skirting international sanctions within the Black Sea.
The resignation of Bulgaria's government on Thursday (11 December) puts an end to an increasingly unpopular coalition but is likely to usher in a period of prolonged political instability on the eve of the Black Sea nation's entry into the euro zone.
Türkiye’s Trade Minister Omer Bolat said Friday that discussions in Washington with U.S. officials have strengthened efforts to expand bilateral trade, moving closer to a $100 billion target.
Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif held talks on Friday during the International Peace and Trust Forum in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, focusing on bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues
ussian President Vladimir Putin described Moscow’s relations with Baghdad as historically strong and unbroken during a meeting with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid in Turkmenistan.
Hungary has strongly criticised NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s warning that Russia could be capable of attacking the alliance within five years, with Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó describing the remarks as irresponsible and dangerous.
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to halt all shooting from Friday evening following renewed fighting along their shared border, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday.
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