Japan has started dismantling its first commercial nuclear reactor

Japan's Tokai Electric has begun dismantling an old commercial nuclear reactor as part of a push to build new nuclear facilities, a company spokesman said. This marks Japan's first attempt to dismantle a commercial reactor.

As early as 2008, Tokai Electric decided to dismantle two reactors at its Shizuoka Hamaoka nuclear power plant in central China to avoid costly seismic retrofits, AFP reported. According to the World Nuclear Association, only about 25 nuclear reactors worldwide have been fully dismantled.

Japan is gradually returning to nuclear power to achieve its goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. After shutting down all 54 nuclear reactors following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident, Japan now plans to increase the share of nuclear power generation to 20-22 per cent by 2030. It is now well below 10 per cent.

To achieve this goal, Japan is gradually restoring operational reactors and extending their service life, while promoting the development of next-generation nuclear power facilities.

A Tokai Electric spokesman said the company had begun removing the top of Hamaoka's No. 2 reactor on March 17 and would take similar measures for another reactor at the plant in the future.

The entire dismantling process is expected to last until 2042, with the construction of a replacement reactor still some time away. According to Japan's nuclear authority, including the Hamaoka nuclear power plant and research reactors, Japan is currently planning to dismantle 26 nuclear reactors.