Japan

「投資促進や雇用の拡大につながる」 北海道知事、泊原発再稼働同意

Mainichi Shimbun | Local Language | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | Regulation

Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki formally consented on December 10, 2025, to the restart of Hokkaido Electric Power’s Tomari Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3, following consent from the host and four surrounding municipalities. The restart is targeted for as early as 2027, pending remaining reviews by the Nuclear Regulation Authority and completion of safety-related construction work, including a new seawall expected by March 2027.

Governor Suzuki justified his decision by highlighting benefits such as reduced electricity rates, securing decarbonized power to boost economic growth, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. He emphasized that the announcement aims to increase predictability for corporate investment decisions, promoting investment and job growth within the prefecture.

Despite the restart consent, the governor maintains opposition to advancing surveys for final disposal sites for high-level radioactive waste in Suttsu Town and Kamoenai Village, urging the national government to foster public understanding of disposal projects. Tomari Unit 3 passed safety reviews in July 2025, confirming compliance with new regulatory standards.

Hokkaido Electric’s president stated the company will focus on completing safety reviews and related construction to enable an early restart. The plant began commercial operation in 2009, was shut down for inspections in 2012, and has been under review since 2013. Plans also include building a new port and dedicated road near a residential area to support nuclear fuel transportation, though details remain undecided.

Nippon | English | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | Regulation

The Japanese government plans to expand the scope of specially designated secrets to include information crucial to economic security. This addition is part of a draft revision to the operational standards for the law on the protection of specially designated secrets, which was approved by a policy division of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The revision is expected to be formally adopted at a cabinet meeting by the end of 2025.

This revision marks the second update to the operational standards since the law's enforcement in 2014, with such reviews conducted every five years. The government aims to strengthen information security by integrating the specially designated secrets system with the security clearance program introduced earlier in 2025, allowing certified individuals access to sensitive information.

The specially designated secrets protection law originally covers four areas: defense, diplomacy, espionage prevention, and terrorism prevention. It enforces stricter penalties to prevent leaks of critical information to avoid significant disruptions to national security.

Asahi Shimbun - E | English | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | UndeterminedInvestor Sentiment

Asian stock markets mostly declined on December 11, 2025, trading within narrow ranges ahead of a U.S. Federal Reserve meeting expected to result in the third interest rate cut of the year. Key indexes such as Japan’s Nikkei 225, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200, South Korea’s Kospi, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, and Shanghai Composite all saw modest losses ranging from 0.1% to 0.5%.

Market sentiment remains cautiously optimistic, with some analysts anticipating the Fed could take an even more accommodative stance than expected, potentially through enhanced quantitative easing or regulatory adjustments. U.S. equities showed mixed movements: the S&P 500 declined slightly but stayed near all-time highs, the Dow Jones fell 0.4%, and the Nasdaq gained a marginal 0.1%.

The Fed’s anticipated interest rate cut aims to stimulate economic growth and investment prices, though inflation remains above the 2% target. Fed officials remain divided over whether inflation or labor market trends pose the greater risk. Treasury yields increased following a report showing a slight rise in U.S. job openings to 7.7 million, the highest since May.

In individual stocks, Exxon Mobil rose 2% after raising its profit outlook for the next five years, while Home Depot dropped 1.3% due to a forecasted contraction in the home improvement market. Nvidia’s shares slipped 0.3% after receiving U.S. approval to sell an advanced AI chip to certain Chinese customers. Energy prices edged up slightly, with U.S. crude at $58.39 per barrel and Brent crude at $62.08 per barrel. The U.S. dollar weakened marginally against the yen and the euro.