Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Mayors Demand Niigata Governor to Make Decision on N-Plant Restart

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:39 JST, November 13, 2025

NIIGATA — Local pressure is mounting as the mayors of Kashiwazaki and Kariwa have formally demanded that Niigata Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi make a decision on whether to support the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant.

On Wednesday, Hanazumi held talks with Kashiwazaki Mayor Masahiro Sakurai and Kariwa Mayor Hiroo Shinada to discuss the restart of the nuclear power facility owned by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.

The two mayors, who are in favor of the restart, sought a clear decision from the governor during the meeting. Hanazumi is expected to announce his decision by the end of this month.

The closed-door meeting lasted about 30 minutes, after which the three spoke to the press. Hanazumi said that Kashiwazaki and Kariwa municipal governments have dealt with the nuclear power plant for a long time and that their opinions would be “important factors” in his decision.

Sakurai stated that he had conveyed to the governor the importance of the restart and demanded a swift resolution. Meanwhile, Shinada had asserted that there are currently no grounds to oppose the restart and stressed that it should be carried out steadily.

As part of efforts to gather information for decision-making, the governor of Niigata has conducted opinion exchange meetings with all 30 mayors in the prefecture, held public hearings to gather residents’ views and carried out a prefectural awareness survey.

Niigata Prefecture has completed an additional survey of the nine municipalities around the nuclear plant, gathering all the information that the governor had initially planned to gather.

At his regular press conference on Wednesday, Hanazumi said, “We have largely finished efforts to gauge the reactions of the prefectural residents.”

He is scheduled to inspect the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant Friday — his first visit in seven years — with TEPCO President Tomoaki Kobayakawa. Additionally, arrangements are being made for him to visit the Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant as soon as Tuesday.

After confirming TEPCO’s safety measures, Hanazumi is expected to decide on whether to support the restart within this month. His decision is expected to be submitted to the regular prefectural assembly session on Dec. 2.