Japan's Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) today approved the operational safety programme submitted by Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) for its seven-unit Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant. Tepco is working towards restarting units 6 and 7 at the site in Niigata prefecture.

Japan's Nuclear Regulatory Authority yesterday approved safety measures submitted by Tokyo Electric Power Company for unit 7 of its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata prefecture. The approval brings the unit one step closer to restart, pending local consent.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority today approved Shikoku Electric Power Company's decommissioning plan for unit 2 of its Ikata nuclear power plant in Ehime prefecture. Decommissioning of the unit is expected to be completed by 2059.

Safety improvement work to enable Mihama unit 3 and Takahama unit 1 - both in Japan's Fukui Prefecture - to operate for an additional 20 years, to 60 years, has now been completed, Kansai Electric Power Company announced today. Work needed to extend the operation of unit 2 of the Takahama plant continues.

The expected completion of the reprocessing plant at Rokkasho in Japan's Aomori Prefecture has been put back again, to the first-half of FY2022 (ending March 2023), owing to the implementation of safety measures at the plant, including construction of a new cooling tower, Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited has announced.

US company X-energy has announced it is to be the exclusive counterparty to supply fuel to Japan's high-temperature gas-cooled reactor under a teaming arrangement with Nuclear Fuel Industries of Japan.

There are no obstacles to the removal of assemblies from the used fuel storage pool of unit 2 at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company said today after completing an initial survey of the pool. Removal of the assemblies is scheduled to begin fiscal year 2024.

Tepco Holdings Corporation and Toshiba Energy Systems Corporation have agreed to establish a joint venture company to conduct safety upgrade work at unit 6 of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant. Tepco plans to restart units 6 and 7 of the plant, which is in Japan's Niigata Prefecture.

Japan Atomic Energy Agency has today received permission from the Nuclear Regulation Authority to make changes to the reactor installation of the High-Temperature Test Reactor in conformity with revised safety requirements. This marks the first time a restart permission has been granted for a Japanese gas-cooled reactor.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) has carried out training in the operation of a submersible remotely operated vehicle that will be used to investigate the used fuel pool of unit 2 at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The investigation is scheduled to begin in mid-June.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority today approved a draft report concluding Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited's reprocessing plant at Rokkasho in Aomori Prefecture meets new safety standards. The approval brings the plant, construction of which began in 1993, closer to starting up.

The completion of safety countermeasures at unit 2 of the Onagawa nuclear power plant in Miyagi Prefecture, in Japan, will not be completed until March 2023, two years later than previously scheduled, Tohoku Electric Power Company announced on 30 April. Japan's nuclear regulator concluded in February the unit meets revised safety standards, clearing the way for it to resume operation.