Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry said he agreed to restart the Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant.

According to Kyodo News reported on March 19, Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ken Saito has expressed his agreement to Niigata Prefecture Governor Hideyo Hanakuo to restart the Kashiwazaki Kariah nuclear power plant.

In April 2021, Japan's Atomic Energy Regulatory Commission issued an operating ban on the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant under Tokyo Electric Power Company due to successive exposure of problems and loopholes in anti-terrorism and security measures. The ban will be lifted in December 2023. Many people strongly oppose the restart of the Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant. The governor of Niigata Prefecture previously stated that the local government would listen to the opinions of the public before deciding whether to agree to the restart of the nuclear power plant.