Japan nuclear plants given extension to build antiterrorism facilities

TOKYO - Japan's nuclear watchdog on Wednesday said it would revise regulations and extend the deadline to build antiterrorism facilities for nuclear power plants, moving the five-year start date to the beginning of operations rather than the approval of the plants' planning and construction.

The move by the Nuclear Regulation Authority, effectively seen as an easing of restrictions, will allow the ongoing operations of the No. 2 reactor at the Onagawa nuclear plant in Miyagi Prefecture, which was expected to shut down due to a failure to meet a construction deadline in December this year.