Japan 's two-stage test of the stability of its nuclear plants in the event of a natural disaster is unlikely to lead to a restart of offline nuclear reactors anytime soon, the head of an industry body said Friday.

"It's important to take necessary steps," including winning consent from local communities, said Makoto Yagi, chairman of the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan . Yagi is also president of Kansai Electric Power Co. (9503.TO), Japan 's second largest power utility by sales.

Utilities have submitted results of the first stage of the test on more than a dozen reactors. Kansai Electric's Ohi No.3 and No.4 units received on Monday approval from the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency.

But skepticism has been lingering across the country about relevance of the test and political process to approve outcomes. Two experts who are members of one of NISA's hearings, on the same day released a statement to protest the approval, pointing out shortcomings, such as the test assumes a maximum 11.4 meter high tsunami, despite the fact that a 14 meter high tsunami hit the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

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