Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Meti) has announced the first areas to be designated as new industrial clusters that will be powered by decarbonised electricity sources including nuclear.

Eight areas covering 10 sites have been selected, including Kashiwazaki City in Niigata prefecture, western Japan, and sites in Aomori prefecture (northern Japan), Fukui prefecture (southwestern Japan) and Shimane prefecture (southwestern Japan). All four prefectures have existing nuclear power plant sites.

The specific sites include Rokkasho Village and Rokunohe Town in Aomori prefecture, Fukui City and Obama City in Fukui prefecture, and Matsue City in Shimane prefecture.

According to the Tokyo-based Japan Atomic Industrial Forum (Jaif), the initiative, known as the GX Strategic Areas initiative, will build decarbonised industrial hubs and data centre clusters through land use deregulation and subsidies.