Japan may need to replace almost a sixth of its aging fleet of nuclear reactors or risk missing its 2040 energy targets. The nation currently has 33 operable reactors, according to the World Nuclear Association. Governments and companies globally have been eyeing nuclear power as a way to meet rising demand for clean and stable electricity, boosted by artificial intelligence and data center use. While existing reactors should be used to their fullest, several will hit 60 years of operation from the 2040s, the document said. Regional utility Kansai Electric Power said in July that it would explore options to build a new reactor, the first since 2011.