Japan's future use of nuclear energy could be significantly impacted by decisions made this year on restarting reactors and extending the operating periods of its older units, according to the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan. However, it sees nuclear playing an important role in achieving energy security, economy and environmental protection.

Japan needs to work towards bringing its reactors back online if the country is to meet its climate goals, Akio Takahashi, president of the Japan Atomic Industry Forum, said this week. Nuclear energy currently accounts for just 1.1% of Japan's electricity production and commercial operation has been resumed at only three of the country's nuclear power plants - Sendai 1, Sendai 2 and Ikata 3.

Toshiba Corp may have to write off "several billion" dollars because of Westinghouse Electric Company's purchase a year ago of CB&I Stone & Webster (S&W) - a US construction firm that specializes in nuclear power projects. In a statement yesterday, the Japanese electronics conglomerate said it needs to "determine the value" of the possible Westinghouse loss and the impact on Toshiba's financial forecast for 2016 announced last month.

Japan and the UK will expand their existing collaboration in civil nuclear activities - including decommissioning, research and development, and nuclear new build - through a memorandum of cooperation signed yesterday in Tokyo.

The Japanese government has made the formal decision that the Monju prototype fast breeder reactor will not be restarted and steps will be taken to decommission it. However, the government also said the country's development of fast reactors would continue.

Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom has signed a memorandum of cooperation in peaceful uses of atomic energy with two Japanese ministries. One key area of cooperation under the agreement will be post-accident recovery at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi plant.

UPDATED The governor of Fukui prefecture has called the Japanese government's proposal to decommission the Monju prototype fast breeder reactor (FBR) as "totally unacceptable". However, the government announced a formal decision on 20 December to scrap the reactor.

Kyushu Electric Power Company yesterday began the process of restarting the reactor of unit 1 at its Sendai nuclear power plant in Japan's Kagoshima prefecture following a periodic inspection. The prefectural governor had opposed the restart of the unit, which resumed operation in August 2015 following a shutdown of the country's nuclear fleet.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has concluded that domestically produced nuclear power plant components are sufficiently strong for their intended purpose.

Tepco found no "abnormalities" at its Fukushima plants following an off-shore earthquake on Tuesday morning. The cooling system in the used fuel pool of Tepco's Fukushima Daini unit 3 automatically shut but was subsequently restarted. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued tsunami warnings following the magnitude 7.4 quake.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has approved an extension to the operating period for Kansai Electric Power's Mihama unit 3, enabling the plant to operate for up to 60 years.

The prime ministers of India and Japan have welcomed the signature today of a nuclear cooperation agreement between the two countries. Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe said the agreement reflects a new level of mutual confidence and strategic partnership for clean energy, economic development and a peaceful and secure world.