Late News

摘要

A "ROAD MAP" FOR GAINING CONTROL OF THE FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI situation within six to nine months was issued on April 17 by Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco). The road map sets out a plan for cooling down the damaged cores of Units 1, 2, and 3, stabilizing the spent fuel pools of Units 1 through 4, reducing the releases of radioactive materials from the site, and cleaning up the surrounding contaminated areas. "We will make every effort to enable evacuees to return to their homes and for all citizens to be able to secure a sound life," Tepco said when announcing the plan. In explaining what the road map is meant to achieve, Tepco described a two-step process that is focused on significantly reducing the levels of radiation in the environment resulting from releases from the plant. The first step of the plan aims for a steady decline in radiation levels over the next three months. Within three to six months after that, the radioactivity in the environment should have dropped to a very low level as radioactive materials, including contaminated water, are retained on site.