Japan’s government is pushing ahead with efforts to secure local approval to resume operations at the world’s biggest nuclear power station, according to a report.

Minister of economy, trade and industry Ken Saito will next week ask Niigata governor Hideyo Hanazumi to endorse the restart of Tokyo Electric Power Company’s (Tepco) Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power station, according to the Niigata Nippo newspaper.

The governor’s approval is one of the last hurdles before the seven-unit nuclear facility in the northcentral region of Niigata can resume operations.

Tepco and the government are keen to restart Kashiwazaki Kariwa, which was closed after the Fukushima-Daiichi accident, pending further safety checks. Fukushima-Daiichi is also owned by Tepco.