Japan plans to restart two 'safe' nuke reactors to combat power shortages

Tokyo, Apr 14 (ANI): The Japanese government has declared two nuclear reactors safe and is planning to restart them to combat looming power shortages.

Regional authorities need to give their approval before the two reactors at the Ohi plant in western Japan can restart.

The plant, operated by Kansai Electric Power, is located about 100km from Japan's second biggest city Osaka.

According to The BBC, Industry Minister Yukio Edano said inspectors had 'finally confirmed' that Ohi's Number 3 and Number 4 reactors were safe and that the government 'deemed it necessary' to restart them.

Edano also stressed that Japan still faced a summer of 'very severe power shortages'.

The government has been carrying out tests on nuclear power stations to reassure people living nearby that they can resist strong earthquakes.

But since the Fukushima disaster, local communities have been refusing to allow reactors to be restarted after routine maintenance, which has to take place every 13 months. (ANI)