DHAKA: Japan vowed quick, decisive action, including the use of public funds, to tackle the worsening problem of contaminated water pouring from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant, as the authorities step in to help the facility’s embattled operator.

Japan prime minister Shinzo Abe said the government ‘will step forward and implement all necessary policies’ to deal with the flood of radioactive water from the plant, a legacy of the world’s worst atomic disaster in a quarter century.

The government will present a ‘comprehensive package of measures’ on the water problem as soon as Tuesday, a senior official said, reports The Straits Times.

Tokyo’s measures come amid proposals to create a government agency devoted to decommissioning the Fukushima plant and as some outside the government call for a break-up of the operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co, or Tepco.

BDST: 1553 HRS, SEPT 02, 2013
RoR/SRS