MUTO Yoji was named Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), with ABE Toshiko named the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), and KIUCHI Minoru the Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy. All three are members of the Lower House of the Japanese Diet, known as the House of Representatives, and come from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

New METI Minister Muto held his first press conference after a Cabinet meeting on October 2, at which he noted the following four priorities as instructed by Prime Minister Ishiba, and vowed to do his utmost in pursuit of each:

  • Carrying out the reconstruction of Fukushima Prefecture, including the decommissioning of the former Fukushima Daiichi, with full accountability to the public.
  • Realizing a growth-oriented economy driven by wage increases and companies’ willingness to invest, placing top priority on escaping deflation based on the idea of “finance only with economy.”
  • Promoting GX (green transformation) in energy, including responses to increasing demand for power and the need for decarbonization.
  • Promoting Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.

From his experience as MEXT senior vice minister in 2017 and 2018, Muto referred to the importance of energy security. Regarding the current status of the Kashiwazaki Kariwa NPPs, owned and operated by the Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), he voiced the recognition of the concerns still held by some members of the public about that power company, especially as the level of local understanding on the company’s activities to enhance safety and security has not increased.

At the same time, he demonstrated his intention to have the government take concerted efforts toward restarting the now-idle units at Kashiwazaki Kariwa, through close cooperation with relevant ministries.

He also cited the vulnerable balance between power supply and demand in eastern Japan, as well as disparities in power rates between eastern and western Japan, and the need for decarbonized sources within the power supply.

Speaking about the building of new and replacement NPPs in the future, Muto said that the national government would consider issues in the specific context of the energy mix, given the expected increases in demand for electricity as a result of the accelerated use of AI and data centers nationwide.

Regarding the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW), the METI minister clearly stated at the press conference that “the national government will come to the fore and meet the challenge, addressing local opinions squarely.”