The Cabinet on Tuesday approved a bill aimed at securing the supply of electricity in times of disaster.
The move comes in response to massive, prolonged power outages faced by some parts of the nation in the wake of natural disasters in recent years.
The bill to revise the electricity business law, planned to be submitted to the current Diet session, would oblige utilities to come up with contingency plans on working with other electricity firms, local governments and the Self-Defense Forces so that recovery work will progress smoothly.