Japan to fast-track some nuclear reactor restarts

This should help the trade deficit.

I'd like to "fast track" former Tepco president, Shimizu, to a nice cell in the Fuchu penitentiary. People need to hound this guy, who refused some wise advice to rearrange the backup generators of the Fukushima NPPs, making this crisis a hundred times worse.

This shows how deep TEPCO's pay-offs go.

Japan to fast-track its own extinction.

There, fixed it for you.

Japan's trade balance will improve dramatically if you ask operating a nuclear power plant.

Deficit of 4 trillion yen.

I would be more impressed if they fast-tracked something more imperative, like education reform, or buckets to catch all the water that's leaking outta Fukushima.

Another arrogant old fool, who unfortunately causes problems for all those around him. My respect for NHK as a news organisation has been completely shattered, which is a shame as the organisation has many hard working, decent journalists and staff who have been there for many years before this arrogant old man came along.

Did anyone really believe Japan would remain non-nuclear?

The beginning of the end; waiting for the next massive earthquake to occur.

Japan's WW2 Naval Fight & Military Vehicles etc. were built using Hydroelectric Power Plants Not Big Nuke. Japan can survive without Nuclear Power If J Govt remembers the resources in their own countries backyard. Oh and Govern Please J Govt, Those Evacuees should not have to wait so long. It is not every man for himself even with the Radiation Emergency Kits.

Have to fast track to solve the deficit problem. Fact is Japan can't survive in the medium term without nuclear power. probably true for the world as well, at least if we all continue to aspire to the trappings of Western civilisation.

Great. Let's restart the economy. Restart Japan!

The corporate world strikes again, trying to pressurise government. I only hope the last paragraph of the article stay true their commitment as a regulatory body.

False. Tokyo Gas, and JX would much rather the plants stay closed, as they are making cash hand-over-fist. Not only these companies, but those around the world, as the inrease in fuel consumption in Japan has skewed the entire energy market.

The sooner the nuclear plants are operating again the sooner the electricity companies can resume making donations to the LDP and employing former bureaucrats in non-jobs.

I suppose the oil industry does not donate to LDP politicians?

The reason that they want to fast track the reopening is because the money spent on imported gas and oil is resulted in huge export deficits, and are depleting foreign asset reserves which are needed to back domestic assets. The only reason why Japan's massive public debt has not caused a collapse is because Japan has been one of the world's largets holders of foreign assets. If these assets become depleted, ot spells big trouble for Japan.This is one of the rare cases when a difficult descison is being made with a legitimate economic goal.

The sooner the nuclear plants are operating again the sooner the electricity companies can resume making donations to the LDP and employing former bureaucrats in non-jobs.

Too bad they do not seem to be as concerned about "fast tracking" the SAFE shutdown of the Fukushima plant, nor the recovery efforts for the thousands of victims.

Japan’s nuclear shutdown has forced the resource-poor nation to import costly fossil fuel

Well wait Japan is Water Rich 38 Hydroelectric Plants (In Need Of Upgrades Yes but Not Resource Poor at all. This is not Haiti where poor folks are eating mud Cookies. There are ways to generate energy to help ease the oil imports. I don't get it.

Once again the people of Japan are about to be completely & utterly dis-regarded, some things never change!

When things are usually fast tracked, safety standards are usually forgotten this is one concern of mine. Does anyone else share the same concern?

...and as always government gets to do exactly what it wants to do regardless of public opinion. This news was predictable considering the following perspective: Leak info on political funds to create scandal on current Governor. Governor resigns. Hold gubernatorial election with backing for pro nuclear candidate. Candidate wins. Fast track opening of nuclear reactors. Business as usual and general public duped again.

Screw fast tracking nuclear. Fast track solar panel installation, wind farms, and wave energy instead.

Only if you don't know what "Fast Tracked" means.

It means the quickest and most direct route to a 'goal'. It does not mean the 'safest'. I know that one of the meanings of 'fast tracked' meant trouble down the line for the Fukushima plant.

Imagine if they 'fast-tracked' relief money for victims who are STILL in shelters! These atomic agencies don't mean squat when they skip their own rules due to power companies whining that they are losing profits (as they jack up power prices anyway).

Let the 'fudging' begin! I didn't think it would take them long to start compromising on their vote grabbing legislation.

But, the thing I really know is, if the reactors are restarted are we gonna get rebates on our electricity bills? (Rhetorical question)

just go ahead and do it. all this nonsense about safety check is just to appease the public. Yes nonsense safety checks who needs then in an industry with a proven track record of adherence to basic standards!!! You want to live near a reactor that can't even adhere to a safety code?

bogged down in laborious safety checks and paperwork.

A everything usually is in this country of paper shufflers, push the huge pile of paper off the desk into the bin, go and look at the plants make sure they have sufficient sea walls, they are not constructed on fault lines and have proper back measures in place, no need for paper jams holding things up.

Paper shufflers always holding things up and they serve no real purpose and generate nothing except more paper work.

quit with all the charades already. the reactors WILL go online eventually, so just go ahead and do it. all this nonsense about safety check is just to appease the public.

All the extra time, money and efforts put into getting them back on line kinda makes you wonder what condition they were in before 3/11.

"Fast Tracked" is hardly a phrase that inspires confidence in the industry.

Only if you don't know what "Fast Tracked" means.

They've got a list of 48 plants under review. Six of them get moved to the top of the list. That's about it.

"Fast Tracked" is hardly a phrase that inspires confidence in the industry.

What is the point of safety? If it's fast tracked?

Ah yes, those safety check are labourious, aren't they? Now, what can we do to get rid of them?

18 months of trade deficits. Well, could this be the result of Abenomics putting up the price of imports while reducing the cost of exports in dollar terms?

What I'd like to know is if they have retrofired the plants so that are at least up to US 1980 standards and that they had done meltdown drills. It's bad enough to "rush" this, but is everyone properly trained. But then who is to say what is proper training. Obviously TEPCO didn't train their staff properly but nothing said about that.

Gee, I would've thought they were working as fast as they can as it is. Fast tracked? As in, safety overlooked? The government clearly doesn't care about public opinion. No shockers there.

The corporate world strikes again, trying to pressurise government. I only hope the last paragraph of the article stay true their commitment as a regulatory body.