Japan PM to take firsthand look at Fukushima leaks
Japan PM to take firsthand look at Fukushima plant to quell fear over radioactive water leak
NARAHA, Japan (AP) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will take a firsthand look at the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, aiming to quell public unease over radiation-contaminated water that is leaking from the complex into the Pacific.
Officials say that during a three-hour plant tour Thursday, Abe will look at some tanks containing radioactive water, water treatment equipment and other plant sites, and talk with workers.
Abe's adamant reassurance to the International Olympic Committee earlier this month that the leaks are "under control" backfired at home, as many Japanese believe he was glossing over problems at the plant.
Japanese officials have acknowledged that the ground water contaminated with radioactive leaks have been seeping into the Pacific since soon after meltdowns and explosions following the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
