All articles tagged with #fukushima
A powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck offshore northern Japan, with officials reporting no abnormalities at Fukushima or other nuclear facilities and no major damage or tsunami reported at this time.
A highly intelligent bear in Fukushima attacked four people, escaped by unlocking a locked window, and was filmed drinking from a tap; authorities have set traps and used tranquillisers as a wide search continues, with schools closed briefly and bears’ rising attacks linked to habitat changes and food shortages in Japan.
A black bear injured four people, including two Fukushima Steel Works employees and a local resident, in a residential area of Fukushima, Japan, with the animal still at large. The incident underscores a nationwide rise in bear encounters, following a record year in 2025 with 13 fatalities and 230+ attacks. Authorities closed nearby schools, and the government is expanding bear-control efforts (more staff and traps) and issuing public safety guidance for encounters.
A bear attacked a residential area in Fukushima, Japan, injuring four people as bear-related attacks increase, prompting authorities to warn residents and intensify wildlife-management efforts.
A drone video from inside the Unit 3 reactor at Fukushima Daiichi shows a hole in the reactor’s pressure vessel, likely where fuel debris sits, marking a rare visible confirmation in the ongoing aftermath of the 2011 disaster.
Fifteen years after the Fukushima Daiichi meltdown, the region shows a mixed recovery: some towns have rebuilt, others remain largely abandoned with ongoing cleanup, waste disposal, and monitoring. The 2011 quake and tsunami caused three reactor meltdowns, tens of thousands displaced and about 2,300 disaster-related deaths, and while Japan has reformed nuclear governance and enabled a few reactor restarts elsewhere, public concern remains. The 2023 treated wastewater release drew criticism from locals and the UN, and the area continues to grapple with radiation monitoring, resettlement, and long-term environmental and economic impacts.
Researchers studying water beneath Fukushima’s reactors found bacteria thriving in radioactive conditions not thanks to classic radiation resistance but likely because protective biofilms form on metal surfaces; some microbes can cause metal corrosion, complicating cleanup efforts, and scientists speculate marine bacteria may have ridden in with the 2011 tsunami, revealing unexpected life in extreme environments.
Japan has restarted reactor 6 at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, the world's largest by capacity, marking the first restart since the 2011 Fukushima disaster; only one of seven reactors is back online for now, with the rest still uncertain and a 2030 timeline for the remaining unit. The move comes amid tightened safety standards and ongoing public distrust, as Japan pursues a longer-term push to revive nuclear power to meet energy self-sufficiency goals and 2040 targets, all while facing rising costs and protests.
As Japan marks 15 years since the Fukushima disaster, Tepco plans to restart reactor No. 6 at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, the world’s largest nuclear plant in Niigata. The move, aimed at boosting energy security and emissions targets, faces fierce local opposition and safety concerns about evacuation capabilities for hundreds of thousands nearby. A delay due to a test alarm was followed by expectation it will go online soon, potentially adding about 2% to Tokyo-area electricity, but critics say safety and trust remain doubtful.
Japan is shifting its energy strategy to maximize nuclear power while significantly expanding renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and geothermal, aiming for a 100% renewable target in Fukushima by 2040, despite the controversial history with nuclear energy post-Fukushima disaster and ongoing debates about decarbonization efforts.
Japan is considering restarting the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant, the world's largest, after 15 years since Fukushima, amid public protests and concerns over safety, as the government aims to boost energy security and meet decarbonization goals.
Japan is set to restart the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, the world's largest, after a 15-year hiatus following the Fukushima disaster, amid public protests and political support, as the country seeks to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and enhance energy security.
Japan is set to restart the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant, the world's largest, marking a significant step in its return to nuclear energy post-Fukushima, despite local opposition and safety concerns, as the country aims to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and meet future energy demands.
Japan is set to approve the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant, the world's largest, marking a significant step in its return to nuclear energy post-Fukushima, despite local opposition and safety concerns, as the country aims to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels and meet future energy demands.
Workers at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant evacuated following a tsunami warning triggered by an 8.7 magnitude earthquake off Russia's coast, reviving concerns about the site which was devastated by a 2011 disaster. The plant still faces significant challenges in decommissioning, including managing radioactive waste and contaminated water, with delays in cleanup plans and ongoing debates about nuclear power's role in Japan's energy future amid seismic risks.