The Lower House has approved a reshuffle of the Nuclear Regulation Authority, including appointing a commissioner who has received more than ¥10 million from nuclear-related entities over the past decade to fund his academic research.
Among the two commissioners stepping down from the five-member panel at the NRA, one is a fierce critic of safety practices within the industry.
Opponents said the changes, which were approved Tuesday, undermine Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's stated commitment to an independent watchdog at a time when utilities are pushing to restart their idled reactors.