Matthew Carney reported this story on Saturday, November 8, 2014 08:06:34

ELIZABETH JACKSON: Japan has decided to restart its nuclear reactors, almost four years after the devastating tsunami which led to them being shut down.



The Fukushima meltdown led to the evacuation of 300,000 people and the eventual shutdown of the entire nuclear industry in Japan.



Our North Asia correspondent Matthew Carney has this report.



MATTHEW CARNEY: The Sendai nuclear plant in the remote south west of the Japan will be the first to switch back on its reactors.



It's cleared the final hurdle; the regional governor Yuichiro Ito has given his approval.



YUICHIRO ITO (translated): Securing safety was the most important thing and the government will guarantee the safety regarding the restart.



MATTHEW CARNEY: The governor says the locals need the jobs and the money, but some of the communities are opposed and say they were not included in the decision making process.



Many of the residents fear another Fukushima type disaster and say the government still does not have an adequate safety plan.



Disaster expert Hirotada Hirose agrees



HIROTADA HIROSE (translated): They haven't considered the worst-case scenario. What happens if they have to evacuate to the sea? How can pass through the narrow roads? Many details are lacking so they can't say to the people you can evacuate safely.



MATTHEW CARNEY: The decision is a win for prime minister Shinzo Abe.



He's been pushing for a nuclear restart as the costs of imported oil and gas have been threatening the country's fragile economic recovery.



Japan is almost totally reliant on fossil fuels for its electricity generation.



(Sound of people chanting)



But move is not popular and the majority of people are against the decision.



They've demonstrated in Tokyo opposite the prime minister's offices. Protestor, Chizuru Muto.



CHIZURU MUTO (translated): It's been 418 days since we had no nuclear and we've passed summer and winter. Once a restart happens, everybody will try to follow and it's unforgivable.



MATTHEW CARNEY: They say the lessons of Fukushima have not been learnt and the disaster was made much worse because no effective evacuation plans were in place.



The demonstrators say the risk is too great in a country prone to earthquakes.



There are active volcanos within 60 kilometres of the Sendai plant. Scientists say there's been much more seismic activity this year.



The company operating the reactors says they'll remove the fuel rods in the event of an eruption, but experts warn they are limits to predictions and the company may not have the time to remove the radioactive fuel.



This is Matthew Carney reporting for AM.