The assembly of Japan’s Niigata prefecture approves Governor Hanazumi Hideyo’s plan to restart the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant.

After the Fukushima disaster in 2011, Japan shut down all its nuclear reactors. The planned restart of a reactor at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant has triggered protests in the coastal city of Niigata.

Japan's regional assembly has backed a plan to allow the world's largest nuclear power plant to resume operations, a watershed moment in the country's return to nuclear energy nearly 15 years after the Fukushima disaster.

NIIGATA, Japan >> The Japanese region of Niigata is expected to endorse a ‌decision to restart the world’s largest nuclear power plant on Monday, a watershed moment in the country’s pivot back to nuclear since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, located about 220 km (136 miles) northwest of Tokyo, was among 54 reactors shut after a massive earthquake and tsunami crippled the Fukushima Daiichi plant in the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.

On Monday, Niigata prefecture's assembly passed a vote of confidence on Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi, who backed the restart last month, effectively allowing for the plant to begin operations again.

By Kantaro Komiya, Yuka Obayashi and Katya Golubkova NIIGATA, Japan, Dec 22 (Reuters) - The Japanese region of Niigata is expected to endorse a decision to restart the world's largest nuclear power plant on Monday, a watershed moment in the country's pivot back to nuclear since the 2011 ​Fukushima disaster. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, located about 220 km (136 miles) northwest of Tokyo, was among 54 reactors shut after a massive earthquake and tsunami crippled the ‌Fukushima Daiichi plant in the worst n