On 14 March 2025, plaintiffs involved in a lawsuit marched in Nagoya, Aichi, calling for the abolition of Mihama Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3. The lawsuit was filed by 66 residents from across the country, seeking the cancellation of the approval for the operation extension of Kansai Electric Power's Mihama Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 (Mihama Town, Fukui Prefecture), which has been in operation for over 40 years.

Supply-chain Risk Briefing

1. Summary

A peaceful protest demanding the decommissioning of Mihama Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 occurred in Nagoya, Japan on March 14. This citizen action is linked to a lawsuit seeking cancellation of the operational extension approval for Kansai Electric Power's Mihama Unit 3, which has been operating for over 40 years. The current risk level is assessed as low.

2. Supply-chain impact

• Power supply uncertainty: If opposition to Mihama Unit 3's operational extension spreads, there is potential for disruption to power supply plans in Japan's Kansai region
• Energy-intensive industry impact: Risk of rising power costs or supply instability for energy-intensive manufacturers in the Kansai region, including semiconductor, steel, and chemical industries
• Raw material processing facilities: Need to monitor operational environment changes at nuclear-related industries and precision chemical manufacturing facilities in the Fukui Prefecture area
• Logistics network: Direct impact on major transportation networks or port facilities remains limited at present

3. Watch points

• Lawsuit progress: Impact of legal proceedings by the 66-plaintiff group and court decisions on nuclear plant operations and regional power supply
• Protest expansion: Tracking the spread of opposition protests to other aging nuclear plant areas and changes in Japan's energy policy trends
• Kansai Electric response: Alternative power source procurement plans and announcements of power supply stabilization measures for manufacturers