Japan court orders two nuclear reactors to close

A court in Japan has ordered two nuclear reactors in the country’s west to shut down, siding with local residents concerned about safety issues.

According to the reports, the Otsu District Court issued the order on Wednesday, two days before the fifth anniversary of the country’s Fukushima disaster, Japan’s national broadcaster, NHK, said.

The closed nuclear reactors are Kansai Electric's No. 3 and No. 4 reactors at Takahama plant on the coast of Fukui prefecture.

The court sided with residents who filed a lawsuit against the operation of the two reactors over safety reasons.

The No.4 reactor halted its operations last month due to technical problems days after restarted, but No.3 is now operating.

It is the first ruling that requires the closure of reactors that were restarted under beefed-up safety standards adopted by Japan’s nuclear regulator after the 2011 Fukushima disaster.

SS