The prefectural government of Fukushima is proposing a sharp increase in the tax it imposes on nuclear fuel.

At present, the Fukushima prefectural government imposes a 7% tax on the value of nuclear fuel core. The effective tax on the fuel would increase to 16% under changes proposed by the government’s tax advisory panel.

However, the government has said that it also plans to impose a new tax of approximately ¥10,000 per kg ($78/kg). A bill to this effect will be submitted to the prefectural assembly in June.

Tepco operates 10 reactors at two sites in Fukushima.