Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto has admitted to "defeat" in battling the government and preventing two idle nuclear reactors in neighboring Fukui Prefecture being reactivated.

Currently, none of Japan's 50 nuclear power reactors are operating as most are shut down for routine maintenance checks.

Public anxiety over last year's disaster at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant has hampered the central government's efforts to restart the reactors.

However, it is pushing to have the No. 3 and No. 4 reactors at the Oi nuclear power plant back online soon, so as to avoid a power crunch this summer.

After espousing a staunch anti-nuclear stance, Hashimoto backed down and said May 31 he would approve the restart of the two reactors at the Oi plant.

"Frankly, there is nothing I can do if people say I lost," he told reporters on June 1. "I regret that I couldn't continue with my opposition."