Japan’s industry ministry is considering extending the lifespan of nuclear reactors to beyond the current 60 years with ambitions to finalise the plan by the end of the year, reports said.

The plan is part of the government’s efforts to cut carbon emissions and ensure stable energy supplies threatened by Russia’s war in Ukraine, the reports claimed.

The ministry of economy, trade and industry is looking to extend the number of years nuclear power stations can remain operational by considering planned safety outages as separate from the total service life of a plant. This could allow nuclear reactors to operate for longer.

Kyodo News said a ministry panel is set to discuss extending the service life of nuclear stations with plans to finalise its decision by the end of the year.