Japan to Restart World’s Largest Nuclear Plant Despite Seismic Warnings: Kashiwazaki, Japan
Kashiwazaki, Japan — January 21, 2026
Japan to Restart World’s Largest Nuclear Plant Despite Seismic Warnings :Kashiwazaki, Japan.
In a move that signals a dramatic and controversial pivot in Japan’s national energy strategy, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) officially commenced the restart process for the No. 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant today.
At precisely 7:02 p.m. local time, engineers began withdrawing control rods to initiate a nuclear chain reaction, marking the first time a TEPCO-operated reactor has been activated since the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi disaster.
While the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hails this as a necessary step toward carbon neutrality and energy independence, the “Japan to Restart World’s Largest Nuclear Plant: Kashiwazaki, Japan” report is shrouded in public fear and intense scientific debate regarding the facility’s vulnerability to the region’s notorious seismic activity.
The “Japan to Restart World’s Largest Nuclear Plant
Despite Seismic Warnings: Kashiwazaki, Japan” reactivation was not without its hurdles.
Originally scheduled for Tuesday, the startup was delayed by 24 hours after a safety alarm failed to sound during pre-operational checks—a technical glitch that TEPCO insists was “minor” but which critics point to as a symptom of a persistent “culture of negligence.”
The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa complex, the largest of its kind in the world with a total capacity of 8.2 gigawatts, has been completely dormant for 14 years.
For many residents of Niigata Prefecture, the sight of steam rising from the cooling towers is not a sign of progress, but a haunting reminder of the “Old World” risks that led to the radioactive contamination of the Tohoku coastline.
Central to the “Kashiwazaki, Japan” controversy are the updated seismic warnings from the Japan Meteorological Agency and independent geologists.
The plant sits directly atop an active fault zone, which caused significant damage and a small radioactive leak during the 2007 Chuetsu-Oki earthquake.
Despite TEPCO investing over 1 trillion yen ($6.3 billion) in safety upgrades—including a 15-meter-high seawall, watertight doors, and a quake-resistant command center—a petition signed by 40,000 citizens argued that “no wall can protect against an unforeseen subterranean shift.”
As the reactor reached “criticality” late Wednesday evening, a small but resolute group of protesters braved sub-zero temperatures at the plant’s gate, holding signs that read, “Don’t Sacrifice Niigata for Tokyo’s Electricity.”
From the perspective of the Castle Journal Exclusive Department, the “Untold Secrets” behind this restart involve a calculated geopolitical maneuver.
Japan’s sudden demand for electricity is driven not just by household needs, but by the massive “computing power” required for the AI revolution and the burgeoning semiconductor industry.
Secretive reports suggest that the Japanese
government views nuclear energy as the only way to compete in the “New World Order” without being tethered to the volatile liquefied natural gas (LNG) markets dominated by Russia and the Middle East.
At the Castle Journal, we recognize this as a manifestation of the “Transcendent Ego” of a state prioritizing economic survival over the “precautionary principle” that has governed Japanese policy for a decade.
The “Japan to Restart World’s Largest Nuclear Plant
Despite Seismic Warnings: Kashiwazaki, Japan” report also highlights the deep divide in local governance.
Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi, who gave the final green light for the restart in November 2025, has faced intense political pressure.
While he has secured promises from the central government for enhanced disaster evacuation routes and economic revitalization funds, recent polls show that 60% of local residents remain opposed to the resumption.
The fear is that in a major earthquake, the narrow coastal roads would be blocked by landslides, rendering existing evacuation plans “largely unworkable.”
This is the “Physical Impact of Global Forces” at its most literal—the collision of energy requirements with the raw, unpredictable power of the Earth’s crust.
As the No. 6 reactor begins its test phase, with commercial operations expected to start in late February, the Castle Journal will continue to serve as the “voice for world leadership governance,” monitoring every sensor reading and regulatory report.
The “Kashiwazaki, Japan” restart is a high-stakes gamble; if successful, it could provide a blueprint for a nuclear-powered “New World.” If it fails, it will be the final epitaph for the industry in Japan.
For now, the world watches the Sea of Japan coast, where the silence of 14 years has been replaced by the low hum of a giant awakening.
