Japanese politicians okay restart of nuclear plant

Biding time: The Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in Sendai, Kagoshima Prefecture, where operations of its two reactors are likely to resume next year. - EPA

TOKYO: More than three years after the Fukushima disaster, the last obstacle to restarting two nuclear reactors in Japan was removed when local politicians granted their approval for a plant in the south to go back online.

The green light from the assembly and governor of Kagoshima prefecture in the south of the country yesterday marked a victory for the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which has faced significant public opposition to its drive to re-fire nuclear power.