Japan restrats its first nuclear reactor under new safety rules since Fukushima disaster

Japan has restarted its first nuclear reactor under new safety rules following the 2011 Fukushima disaster. All Japan's nuclear plants were gradually shut down after a series of meltdowns at the Fukushima plant sparked by the tsunami and earthquake. But after passing stringent new safety tests, Kyushu Electric Power restarted the number one reactor at its Sendai plant on Tuesday morning. There is still strong public unease about a return to nuclear power. Protests have been taking place outside the Sendai plant and at Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's residence in Tokyo, about 1,000 km away. It will be about 24 hours before a full reaction takes place, and the plant is expected to start generating power by Friday. It will reach full capacity some time next month. Prime Minister Abe said on Monday that the reactors had passed "the world's toughest safety screening". Since shutting down all nuclear plants, Japan has been relying on imported fossil fuels for its energy, at huge expense. The government has said nuclear power must resume to cut both import bills and growing CO2 emissions.