Governor of Japan's Northernmost Hokkaido region, Harumi Takahashi has approved the first reopening of commercial operations at an atomic reactor since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan. With this official go-ahead, Tomari nuclear power plant's reactor number three, resumed full commercial operations at 3:00am ET.

Close to 75 per cent of Japan's 54 reactors are presently off line for safety checks since the Fukushima power plant was badly damaged in the earthquake and tsunami, triggering the on-going nuclear crisis. A wave of anti-nuclear sentiment has been gathering pace across many communities; mainly those with nuclear power plants, resulting in local authorities increasingly oppose a resumption of operations.

Prior to March 11, atomic plants produced around a third of Japan's domestic energy needs, prompting some business leaders to warn of the damaging impact of power shortages to production in the world's third largest economy. Naoto Kan, the prime minister, has outlined his vision for phasing out nuclear power in the long term; but, summer electricity shortages are placing growing pressure on the government to resume reactor operations.

Harumi Takahashi, the governor of Hokkaido, confirmed this week that she had "no objection" to the government declaring completion of the Tomari plant's safety checks and returning to full operations.

The plant, operated by Hokkaido Electric Power Co, was officially in a testing phase at the time of the March 11 earthquake and its resumption of full operations was delayed as a result of the disaster. Meanwhile, the tsunami advisory imposed after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Japan's northeast coast served recently as a reminder that the country is still prone to strong aftershocks.

Although the warning was quickly lifted, it refocused attention on the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which is still releasing radiation more than five months after it was wrecked by an earthquake and tsunami.

As almost 3,000 workers continue their battle to bring the plant under control, optimism about their progress is tempered by concern about the long-term consequences of the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl.