结束无核时代 时隔4年日本再度启用核电站

Japan has restarted its first nuclear reactor under new safety rules following the 2011 Fukushima disaster.

日本遵照2011年福岛地震后实施的新安全条例，重新启动了首个核反应堆。

All Japan's nuclear plants were gradually shut down after a series of meltdowns at the Fukushima plant sparked by the tsunami and earthquake.

海啸和地震引发了福岛核电站一系列堆芯熔化事故，此后日本全国的核电站都被陆续关闭。

But after passing stringent new safety tests, Kyushu Electric Power restarted the number one reactor at its Sendai plant on Tuesday morning.

但在通过严格的新安全测试后，周二早上，九州电力重新启动了它在仙台核电站的1号反应堆。

There is still strong public unease about a return to nuclear power.

公众对重新使用核电表示了强烈的不安。

Protests have been taking place outside the Sendai plant and at Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's residence in Tokyo, about 1,000 km away.

抗议者聚集在仙台核电站以及1000公里外东京的安倍晋三首相官邸外面。

The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Tokyo says that after being told a disaster like Fukushima could never happen, public confidence has been shaken.

BBC的鲁珀特·温菲尔德海耶斯在东京表示，在被告知福岛这样的灾难将不会再出现后，公众信心开始动摇。

A total of 25 plants have applied to be restarted, he says, but all are facing legal challenges from concerned locals.

他指出，总共25个核电站申请重启，但它们都将面临来自忧心忡忡的当地居民的法律阻拦。

Kyushu said reactor No.1 at Sendai began operating again at 10:30 local time.

九州电力表示，仙台1号反应堆在当地时间10点30分开始工作。

It will be about 24 hours before a full reaction takes place, and the plant is expected to start generating power by Friday. It will reach full capacity sometime next month.

24小时后，将进行全部重启。反应堆预计将在周五开始发电，并在下个月开始满负荷运作。

Prime Minister Abe said on Monday that the reactors had passed "the world's toughest safety screening".

安倍首相周一表示，这些核反应堆已经通过了“世界上最严格的安全检查。

"I would like Kyushu Electric to put safety first and take utmost precautions for the restart," he said.

“我希望九州电力将安全放在第一位，对重启抱以最大限度的警惕。

Since shutting down all nuclear plants, Japan has been relying on imported fossil fuels for its energy, at huge expense. The government has said nuclear power must resume to cut both import bills and growing CO2 emissions.

自从关闭核电站以来，日本一直依靠价格不菲的进口化石燃料作为能源。政府宣称，为了削减进口支出，减少不断增长的二氧化碳排放，必须重新启用核电。