http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20130903_25.html
The Japanese government has decided to spend public funds of about 47 billion yen, or 470 million dollars, to deal with the massive buildup of radioactive water at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Industry Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and other members of the government's nuclear disaster taskforce approved the basic plan at a meeting on Tuesday.
They agreed the government should take the initiative in tackling technically challenging problems instead of leaving them for plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company to deal with.
The money will be used to freeze soil to create an underground wall around the 4 damaged reactors.
The aim is to prevent groundwater from seeping through and becoming contaminated.
The government will also foot the bill for decontaminating radioactive water.
Of the funds, 210 million dollars will be financed with reserve funds from the fiscal 2013 budget.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga will head a new ministerial panel to address the radioactive water issue.
The government will also set up two liaison bodies so officials can coordinate with workers at the Daiichi plant and officials at TEPCO's head office.
Abe said the measures are intended to achieve a fundamental solution to the radioactive water problem instead of dealing with it in an ad hoc manner.
He said the government will work in a coordinated way, as the world is closely watching whether Japan can successfully resolve problems at the plant and decommission the reactors.
Sep. 3, 2013 - Updated 03:56 UTC
The Japanese government has decided to spend public funds of about 47 billion yen, or 470 million dollars, to deal with the massive buildup of radioactive water at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Industry Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and other members of the government's nuclear disaster taskforce approved the basic plan at a meeting on Tuesday.
They agreed the government should take the initiative in tackling technically challenging problems instead of leaving them for plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company to deal with.
The money will be used to freeze soil to create an underground wall around the 4 damaged reactors.
The aim is to prevent groundwater from seeping through and becoming contaminated.
The government will also foot the bill for decontaminating radioactive water.
Of the funds, 210 million dollars will be financed with reserve funds from the fiscal 2013 budget.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga will head a new ministerial panel to address the radioactive water issue.
The government will also set up two liaison bodies so officials can coordinate with workers at the Daiichi plant and officials at TEPCO's head office.
Abe said the measures are intended to achieve a fundamental solution to the radioactive water problem instead of dealing with it in an ad hoc manner.
He said the government will work in a coordinated way, as the world is closely watching whether Japan can successfully resolve problems at the plant and decommission the reactors.
Sep. 3, 2013 - Updated 03:56 UTC
Tsuyoshi sasaki @Hypomesus2