Japan announces new plan for Fukushima

(Vatican Radio) Japan on Tuesday announced sweeping changes in the nuclear cleanup effort at the Fukushima nuclear plant, after criticism from neighbouring nations and indications that the plant operator cannot cope alone. The government is promising almost half a billion dollars in new funds, better monitoring of potential leaks, and greater public clarity about what's going on at the Fukushima plant, after a string of leaks, at least one of them severe, and public criticism from China and South Korea that Japan seems unable to make the site safe.

Until now, the Japanese government has been hands-off, entrusting the plant operator, the Tokyo Electric Power Company, to stabilise the site. Now, the government says among upcoming initiatives, it will try to develop a more efficient system to filter contaminated coolant coming out of the reactors, and thereby make the water stored on site less radioactive.

Critics say the government intervention comes two years too late. They say the plant operator, a private company, has only ever been interested only in stemming its losses. And, they note, the government's initiative announced on Tuesday, fails to address the long-term question of how to dismantle the ruined reactors.

But Japan's government now seems keen to prove the sceptics wrong, and not least because this week, Tokyo's bid for the Olympic Games could be at stake. This Saturday is when Tokyo, Madrid and Istanbul will hear which city will host the games in 2020.

Listen to the report from correspondent Alastair Wanklyn: