The Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) concluded that the No. 2 reactor at the Tsuruga power station, operated by Japan Atomic Power Co., failed to meet safety requirements due to concerns about an active fault line running beneath the facility.
The fault was identified about 300 meters north of the reactor building and is suspected to extend underneath the structure.
The decision comes after a series of setbacks for Japan Atomic Power, which had submitted documents containing unauthorized modifications and inaccurate data during the review process that began in 2015.
The company's reactor is among 27 units nationwide that have sought regulatory approval, with 17 successfully meeting the stringent safety standards implemented in 2013.
The denial highlights Japan's intensified focus on nuclear safety in a country particularly vulnerable to earthquakes, where construction of critical infrastructure above fault lines is strictly prohibited.
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