Japan has new nuclear regulator

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TOKYO, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Japan, in a major step since its nuclear plant disaster last year, Wednesday announced a new, independent regulatory agency to oversee reactor safety.

The new Nuclear Regulation Authority, headed by radiation physicist Shunichi Tanaka, will be highly independent in meeting its nuclear regulation responsibilities and enforcing tougher rules the government plan to introduce such as not operating a reactor for more than 40 years, Kyodo News reported.

Its launching marked a fresh start in nuclear regulation since the Fukushima crisis, the report said. Japan's northeast region was devastated by last year's March 11 deadly earthquake and tsunami, which triggered the deadly nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

The new agency would also work on safe ways to restart the country's commercial reactors, now idled since the nuclear crisis. Currently, only two of the 50 reactors have been restarted, Kyodo said.

Previously, up to 30 percent of the country's electricity had been supplied by nuclear power.

The agency replaces the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, which was under the authority of the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry, a promoter of nuclear power. The old agency had faced much criticism following the nuclear plant disaster.