The 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 (Tepco) Holdings' Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant in Niigata Prefecture.
Niigata Gov. 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% of costs for constructing and renovating infrastructure such as roads, ports and schools to enhance residents' safety, instead of the default 50%.
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.
The latest move will make around 150 municipalities in 22 prefectures eligible for the aid, up from 76 municipalities in 14 prefectures at present.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said during the ministerial meeting that his government will create a new team to strengthen the oversight of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant to help Tepco gain public trust.
He instructed ministers and Tepco to "swiftly advance efforts and put full efforts into promoting understanding on the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant."
Tepco President Tomoaki Kobayakawa told reporters after the meeting that the company plans to make investments related to decarbonization and digital technology to revitalize economies near its nuclear power plants.
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