Economy | ANALYSIS
Households to take hit from tax hike
by Tomoko Otake
The consumption tax increase will hit every household in Japan hard, with many people’s financial future hanging on whether their wages rise enough to offset the hike's impact.
National Jul 10, 2013
Toxic groundwater reaching sea: NRA
The Nuclear Regulation Authority says it strongly suspects highly radioactive water at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant is seeping into the ground and contaminating the Pacific
National Jul 3, 2013
Tepco to seek Niigata reactor restarts
Tokyo Electric Power says it will file a request with the Nuclear Regulation Authority to restart two idled reactors in Niigata Prefecture after new safety regulations take effect next Monday.
National Jun 25, 2013
NRA fails to find party to probe Oi quake faults
The Nuclear Regulation Authority has failed to appoint an outside institution to sort data collected from drilling surveys on what is suspected to be an active fault under Kansai Electric Power Co.’s Oi nuclear plant in Fukui Prefecture. Three rounds of open bidding failed ...
National Jun 20, 2013
NRA makes new reactor safety regimen official
The Nuclear Regulation Authority officially approves new safety requirements for reactors aimed at preventing disasters like the catastrophe at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant.
National Jun 16, 2013
NRA inspection clears Oi reactors
The Nuclear Regulation Authority found no critical problems during an on-site inspection Saturday of Kansai Electric Power Co.’s Oi nuclear plant, while assessing whether its two reactors can meet new safety requirements coming into force in July. “We did not come away with any ...
National Jun 10, 2013
Regulators to inspect Japan's sole operating reactors on June 15
The Nuclear Regulation Authority will conduct an onsite inspection June 15 of the only nuclear reactors now operating in Japan to check whether they are safe enough to be allowed to continue operating beyond July when new safety requirements take effect.
National Jun 6, 2013
NRA updates nuclear crisis responses, iodine provision
New rules on the distribution of stable iodine tablets in areas near troubled nuclear plants were among the revised guidelines on crises responses adopted Wednesday by the Nuclear Regulation Authority. The guidelines also include better planning for radiation monitoring in emergencies. “There has been ...
National May 30, 2013
Monju must remain idled, NRA to order
The Nuclear Regulation Authority will officially prohibit the Monju prototype fast-breeder reactor from resuming operations, dashing the operator’s hopes of restarting the facility by the end of next March. The harsh measure is a setback for the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, a national research ...
National May 16, 2013
Fault under reactor at Tsuruga active: NRA
by Kazuaki Nagata
A fault running under reactor 2 at the Tsuruga plant in Fukui Prefecture is active, a Nuclear Regulation Authority panel says, effectively killing any chance the reactor will be restarted.
Reference | Q&A May 15, 2013
Monju: Generating only misfortune
by Jun Hongo
The troubled Monju prototype fast-breeder reactor made headlines again when the Nuclear Regulation Authority said it apparently plans to ensure the facility remains idled after announcing that the Japan Atomic Energy Agency failed to properly inspect some 10,000 components, including critical ones. Following are ...
National Apr 10, 2013
New NRA safety standards may impact reactor restarts
The nuclear watchdog's planned new safety standards to deal with serious atomic crises in the event of natural disasters may affect the restart of idled reactors.
National Mar 19, 2013
Power trouble leads to suspension of cooling operations at Fukushima plant
Tokyo Electric Power Co. says Monday a problem with electric power has occurred at its crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, leading to the suspension of the system to cool spent fuel pools of the Nos. 1, 3 and 4 units.