Anti-nuclear demonstrators at Ohi plant
Anti-nuclear demonstrators at Ohi plantReuters

Japan has begun to return to nuclear power, with reactivation of the first nuclear plant since all reactors were shut down earlier this year.

Reactor No. 3 at the Ohi nuclear power plant is set to come back online Sunday, despite major ambivalence among many Japanese.

Dozens of demonstrators expressed their outrage at the restarting of the reactor following the partial meltdown last year of three at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

All reactors in the country were shut down for complete safety checks in the wake of the massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake in 2011 that struck the nuclear power plant on the northern Japanese coast, coupled with a 23-foot tsunami. 

After the Fukushima reactor disaster, Japan appeared to be through with nuclear power. This however left the issue of energy shortages unresolved.

With the summer looming and power demands expected to spike due to the need for air conditioning. Japan is beating a moderate retreat. The Union of Kansai Governments has grudgingly okayed a "limited" restart of 2 reactors at Kansai electric power company.