METI designates Sanmachi in Komatsu City as power source location area

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) announced in the Official Gazette on October 20, 2026, that it has designated three towns in Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, as designated locations based on Article 3, Paragraph 1 of the Act on the Development of Areas Surrounding Power Generation Facilities (Act No. 78 of 1974). The notification was promulgated on the same date as Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Notification No. 132 and issued under the name of the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ryosei Akazawa. The designation takes effect from the date of promulgation, and the target areas will be incorporated into the framework of surrounding area development measures based on the Act.

Framework and Basis for Designation under the Act on the Development of Areas Surrounding Power Generation Facilities

The Act on the Development of Areas Surrounding Power Generation Facilities is a law enacted in 1974 aimed at improving the development of surrounding areas and the welfare of residents, focusing on the burdens placed on local communities due to the installation of power generation facilities. Article 3, Paragraph 1 of the Act stipulates that the competent minister shall designate and notify the target locations.

The text of this notification simply states, “The following locations are hereby designated and notified,” based on the provisions of Article 3, Paragraph 1 of the Act, and does not mention the effects of the designation or the calculation of grants. The effects of the designation are materialized through various measures based on the Act and its Enforcement Order (Cabinet Order No. 293 of 1974).

The Three Designated Locations and Inclusion in Surrounding Area Development Measures

The designated locations are the following three, all located within Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture:

• Hanadate-machi, Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture
• Shimbo-machi, Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture
• Maruyama-machi, Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture

These three towns are positioned as target areas for surrounding area development measures based on the Act. The core of these measures is the Grant for Measures for Power Source Location Areas, which operates as a system to address the financial needs of local governments and the development of public facilities associated with the location of power generation facilities. The eligibility for and calculation methods of the grants are detailed in the grant regulations and appended tables; the addition of designated locations serves as a prerequisite for such calculations.

Amendment of Grant Regulations and the Role of the Same-Day Official Gazette

On October 15, 2026, five days prior to the designation, a notification amending part of the Regulations for the Grant for Measures for Power Source Location Areas was promulgated and has been in effect since that date. The amendment revised the amounts and calculation formulas related to nuclear power generation facilities in Appended Table 1 and included new provisions to categorize experimental fast breeder reactors for which installation work was carried out in fiscal year 2026.

In the Official Gazette dated October 20, in addition to this Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Notice No. 132, several other legal notices were promulgated on the same date, including interest rate notices related to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, as well as amendments to National Personnel Authority Rules; this matter constitutes one part of those notices. The notice was included in an extraordinary edition and took a format where it was disseminated simultaneously with its promulgation.

Significance for the Region and Future Procedures

Through this designation, three towns in Komatsu City will obtain a legal basis for grant applications and the formulation of surrounding area development plans. Since specific grant amounts and project selections are determined through application and screening procedures based on grant regulations, the designation itself does not immediately finalize any monetary amounts.

Regarding power generation facilities, the pillar of the law is a mechanism where both the location area and the surrounding areas share benefits and burdens, and the designation of the site serves as the entry point. For local governments, this means the path is opened to securing financial resources for the improvement of public facilities, industrial promotion, and the enhancement of resident welfare.

Official Sources

• Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Notice No. 132 (October 20, 2026, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ryosei Akazawa)
• Legal Basis: Article 3, Paragraph 1 of the Act on the Development of Areas Surrounding Power Generation Facilities (Act No. 78 of 1974)
• Related Law: Order for Enforcement of the Act on the Development of Areas Surrounding Power Generation Facilities (Cabinet Order No. 293 of 1974)
• Related Notice: Notice to Partially Amend the Grant Regulations for the Grant for Measures in Power Source Location Areas (Promulgated and enforced October 15, 2026)
• Publication: Official Gazette, October 20, 2026 (Extraordinary Edition)