CNIC Statement: 2026 House of Representatives Election – The future of nuclear power should also be put to the public
January 27, 2026
On January 23, Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae dissolved the House of Representatives and the official campaign for the General Election/House of Representatives Election started today, January 27.
There seems to be little discussion on energy issues, particularly nuclear power, as policy matters. However, this election will have a major impact on determining the future direction of energy and nuclear policies. Prime Minister Takaichi stated at the press conference on the dissolution of the House of Representatives, “(after going through the baptism of the general election), we will bravely take on the challenge of implementing bold policies and reforms that could divide public opinion.” Also, she cited strengthening energy and resource security, mentioning early social implementation of fusion energy as well as next-generation reactors
CNIC has obtained documents indicating that the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) began inter-ministerial consultation on the bill to amend the Electricity Business Act on January 21. All five essential documents, the so-called “five-document set,” (Outline, Bill, Reason, Comparative Table, and Reference Provisions) are ready and it is expected to be approved by the Cabinet in March.
This amendment is supposed to reflect the contents of documents such as the “Draft Report of the Working Group on Institutional Design based on the Review of the Electricity System Reform” and the public comments, open until January 28, METI has received regarding the amendments of the bill. The amendment includes measures in which the Organization for Cross-regional Coordination of Transmission Operators, JAPAN (OCCTO) provides loans to utilities for part of the costs associated with new construction or refurbishment of nuclear power plants and other facilities, with the national government providing debt guarantees for these loans. This clearly is an important issue which will affect our electricity bills in the future, but it is clear that the government intends to settle for the mere formality of listening to the voices of the people through public comment.
A victory in an election is not a blank check for the government. The nuclear power issue should be thoroughly debated as one of the key issues in the election.
[All links in Japanese]
Document 1: Administrative Notice (Bill for the Amended Electricity Business Act)
Document 2: Outline of the Bill (Bill for the Amended Electricity Business Act)
Document 3: Draft and Reasons (Bill for the Amended Electricity Business Act)
Document 5: Reference (Bill for the Amended Electricity Business Act)
[i] public-comment.e-gov.go.jp/pcm/detail?CLASSNAME=PCMMSTDETAIL&id=620225018&Mode=0
