It is expect that the petitions will be adopted by the assembly at a plenary session on October 6. It is likely that Mayor Kazuhiko Yamashita will then express his intention to agree to restarting the reactor.

On October 9, the Ehime Prefectural Assembly will determine whether or not Unit 3 should be restarted. Governor Tokihiro Nakamura is expected to make a final decision in light of the decision by Mayor Yamashita and other factors.

Last Friday, the special committee deliberated on three petitions from local economic organizations supporting restarting, and four from anti-nuclear groups objecting to it. No petitions against the restart were endorsed.