The Japanese government said on 18 February that the country will make maximum use of nuclear power as it is preparing for a surge in electricity demand from data centres.

The commitment, made in a revised basic energy plan adopted at a cabinet meeting, represents a major policy shift after the government had sought to reduce dependence on nuclear power as much as possible after the 2011 Fukushima accident.

The basic plan sets the direction of the country’s medium- to long-term energy policy. In the first update to the plan in about three years, the government vowed to work towards the restart of idled nuclear reactors and the refurbishment of aging reactors.