All papers reported on the Nuclear Regulation Authority’s approval on Wednesday for Reactor No. 3 at Kansai Electric Power’s Mihama Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui Prefecture to operate for 20 years beyond the mandated 40-year maximum lifespan. The reactor, which began commercial operation in December 1976, is the third reactor to be allowed to operate beyond the 40-year limit following two at the utility’s Takahama plant also in Fukui. The utility plans to restart operations at the Mihama reactor in March 2020 or later after completing inspections to meet the enhanced safety requirements introduced after the nuclear accident at the TEPCO Fukushima nuclear power plant in 2011. Asahi, Mainichi, and Tokyo Shimbun wrote that the series of approvals has weakened the enforcement of the 40-year limit.