Japanese Nuclear Reactors Could Operate Beyond 40-Year Cap Japan could allow nuclear reactors to operate for up to 60 years if they pass safety checks, the government said Wednesday, already revealing a loophole in recently announced plans to cap their lifespans at 40 years. Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura told reporters on Wednesday that the 40-year cap on reactors, announced earlier this month, will still apply in principle - but operators will likely be allowed a single 20-year extension for each reactor, providing they meet strict safety standards. The longer limit comes amid heightened concerns over the country's aging reactors following the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant, where the oldest reactor was 40 years old and likely had inferior safeguards against severe accidents. According to the Ministry of Trade, 13 reactors in Japan will hit the 40-year limit in the next decade, excluding the six reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant damaged after an earthquake and tsunami on March 11. Meanwhile, lengthening the operating life of its nuclear reactors could postpone Japan's promised phase-out of nuclear power. Even if no more new reactors come online in Japan, allowing its newest unit to operate for 60 years would mean Japan would not become nuclear-free until 2069.