Japan nuclear regulator has concluded that Unit 2 at the Tsuruga nuclear power station in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, does not meet stricter regulations imposed on the sector following the 2011 Fukushima disaster, a requisite to restart the facility.

The Japan Times reported that this is the first time that the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), set up in 2012 following Fukushima, has rejected an application to restart a nuclear power reactor under the new rules.

The new standards do not permit the installation of safety-critical equipment on an active fault line and the NRA said it cannot rule out the possibility that a fault line running under the reactor building is connected to adjacent active fault lines.