New Japanese PM visits Fukushima
- 13 years ago
Newly appointed Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is welcomed at the Daiichi power plant at the heart of his country's nuclear crisis.
Noda has said that bringing the crisis under control is one of his top priorities, and this visit comes less than a week after taking office.
The new Prime Minister's focus on the issue is no surprise - his predecessor Naoto Kan resigned after voter dissatisfaction at his handing of the crisis.
During the visit, Noda expressed his gratitude to the personnel who helped in the aftermath of the disaster.
(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER YOSHIHIKO NODA:
"I would like to offer you my heartfelt thanks as head of this nation, as prime minister, for the self sacrifice and devotion you have shown in working tirelessly and in such harsh conditions to bring an end to the nuclear accident."
March's earthquake and tsunami devastated large swathes of Japan and left around 20,000 people dead or missing.
Fukushima's Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant was hit hard, as the tsunami destroyed crucial power lines to the plant's cooling system and caused reactors to overheat.
The crisis was eventually categorised as a level seven disaster, and the radiation scare spread nationwide.
Simon Hanna, Reuters.
Noda has said that bringing the crisis under control is one of his top priorities, and this visit comes less than a week after taking office.
The new Prime Minister's focus on the issue is no surprise - his predecessor Naoto Kan resigned after voter dissatisfaction at his handing of the crisis.
During the visit, Noda expressed his gratitude to the personnel who helped in the aftermath of the disaster.
(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER YOSHIHIKO NODA:
"I would like to offer you my heartfelt thanks as head of this nation, as prime minister, for the self sacrifice and devotion you have shown in working tirelessly and in such harsh conditions to bring an end to the nuclear accident."
March's earthquake and tsunami devastated large swathes of Japan and left around 20,000 people dead or missing.
Fukushima's Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant was hit hard, as the tsunami destroyed crucial power lines to the plant's cooling system and caused reactors to overheat.
The crisis was eventually categorised as a level seven disaster, and the radiation scare spread nationwide.
Simon Hanna, Reuters.