A Japanese nuclear reactor was turned on Thursday for the first time since it witnessed the country's worst-ever nuclear plant accident more than two years ago, the Kyodo news agency reported. The No.3 reactor at the Mihama nuclear plant, owned by the Kansai Electric Power Co., was restarted for a 13-day test run as a prelude to full commercial operation, company spokesman Masaru Hamano was quoted as saying.

Kansai Electric Power said it planned to confirm the safety of the facilities by carrying out the test-run until October 3 before resuming full operations by the end of the year, according to Kyodo.

In August 2004 four workers were killed and seven others severely burned by a leak of non-radioactive steam registering 200 degrees Centigrade (390 degrees Fahrenheit) at the Mihama plant, which is west of Tokyo.

Since the accident, Kansai had replaced pipes and implemented a series of measures to prevent similar incidents, Kyodo said.

The company had also relocated its operational headquarters from its head office in Osaka to the town of Mihama to ensure the safety of the facility, the report said.

The decision to restart operations at the plant had been agreed by the local government of Fukui prefecture and other organizations following a briefing with the bereaved families, it added.

Resource-poor Japan relies on nuclear generation for 30 percent of its electricity, but nuclear projects have witnessed rising opposition due to a series of mostly minor accidents.

In January 2003, a court blocked the resumption of operations of the Monju experimental fast-breeder reactor which had been shut down since 1995 due to an accident.

However, the Supreme Court in May last year gave the green light to reopen the Monju reactor, which is considered a signature project in the government's energy program.

The six billion-dollar project is meant to make more plutonium than it consumes, paving the way for growth in electricity production.

Opposition to nuclear power had been heightened after another accident in 1999 at the Tokaimura uranium plant northeast of Tokyo which killed two workers and exposed 600 people including nearby residents to radiation.

In March this year, two workers suffered minor injuries for smoke inhalation after a fire at the Ohi plant in the western province of Fukui. No radiation was leaked.

Source: Agence France-Presse