Japan’s long and controversial effort to revive its nuclear power sector suffered another setback this week after Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (Tepco) shut down a reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, the largest nuclear facility in the world, just one day after it was restarted. The precautionary shutdown, triggered by a malfunction in a key safety monitoring system, has once again raised questions about the reliability of Japan’s aging nuclear infrastructure and the pace at which the government is pushing to bring reactors back online.

According to Tepco, Unit 6 at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa facility in Niigata Prefecture was taken offline on January 22 following repeated alarms in the control rod operation monitoring system. The reactor had been restarted only the previous day after remaining dormant for approximately 13 years in the aftermath of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. When attempts to resolve the issue proved unsuccessful, the operator decided to halt operations to conduct a more thorough inspection.

Control rods play a central role in nuclear safety, as they regulate the rate of nuclear fission inside a reactor core by absorbing neutrons. Any malfunction associated with their operation or monitoring is treated with extreme caution by operators and regulators alike. Tepco said in a statement that while the investigation into the cause of the alarm is ongoing, the company opted to shut the reactor down because identifying the root of the problem is expected to take time.

The shutdown follows a series of delays and technical complications surrounding the restart of Unit 6. Local media reported that alarm-related........

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