Japan to Give Aid to More Municipalities near N-Plants

Newsfrom Japan

Politics

Aug 29, 2025 14:01 (JST)

Tokyo, Aug. 29 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government said Friday that it will make municipalities within 30 kilometers of nuclear power plants eligible for related financial assistance, instead of 10 kilometers at present.

The decision, made at a ministerial meeting on nuclear power policy, is aimed at facilitating the restart of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant in Niigata Prefecture, central Japan.

Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi has called for expanding the scope of areas eligible for the aid that can be used to finance infrastructure projects to ensure the safety of residents near nuclear plants.

Eligible municipalities are allowed to receive subsidies covering 55 pct of costs for constructing and renovating infrastructure such as roads, ports and schools to enhance residents’ safety, instead of the default 50 pct.

Friday’s decision is expected to alleviate the burden on municipalities within 30 kilometers of nuclear plants, as they are required to implement disaster prevention measures against possible nuclear accidents.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]

Jiji Press