Japan’s bitter pill as two nuclear reactors to restart

The Japanese government has declared two reactors safe to restart. Now it must convince a traumatised Japanese public that nuclear remains the best route to recovery.

Following a series of meetings in April between Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, Trade Minister Yukio Edano and other ministers, the Japanese government announced that reactors three and four at the Ohi nuclear plant in the country’s central west region were safe to restart.The government, utilities and business leaders know that a nuclear revival is needed to energise Japan’s struggling economy, but the country faces a fierce backlash if it cannot convince the public that the industry is safe. Many Japanese remain sceptical, given the sluggish response of both the government and Fukushima plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) during the meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi