Overview
- The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry proposed on Friday, June 5, 2026, rebuilding between 2 and 5 reactors by the 2040s and 11 to 14 by the 2050s as the first formal numerical replacement targets since 2011.
- METI estimates that if all 14 replacement reactors are completed they would add about 16 gigawatts of capacity and help the government reach its revised goal of roughly 20 percent nuclear generation by fiscal 2040.
- The proposal responds to expected electricity demand growth driven by data centres and artificial intelligence and to a desire to cut costly fuel imports that now supply about 60 to 70 percent of Japan’s power.
- The plan faces practical limits because many plants are approaching a 60-year regulatory operating cap, about 24 reactors are already being decommissioned, construction costs have risen globally, and public trust remains weak after safety scandals such as Chubu Electric’s falsified seismic assessments.
- METI intends the targets to shape long-term investment, workforce and site planning for utilities, but whether replacements proceed will depend on future funding, safety approvals and local acceptance at proposed sites such as Mihama and Sendai.