Japan Court Allows Nuclear Reactor to Reopen in Boost to Abe’s Energy Push
- Shikoku Elec.to restart Ikata No. 3 reactor on October 27
- Government seeks to restore industry after Fukushima disaster
Ikata nuclear power plant.
Photo by Kyodo News via Getty Images
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A Japanese court paved the way for the nation’s ninth nuclear reactor to restart, boosting Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s push to bring dozens of plants back online following the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
The Hiroshima High Court on Tuesday removed a temporary injunction against Shikoku Electric Power Co.’s Ikata No. 3 reactor, the company said in a statement. While the injunction ordered in December would end this month -- meaning the utility could have restart the plant from Oct. 1 -- the ruling is a symbolic victory for the government, which has often seen the courts stymie efforts to accelerate nuclear restarts.