Japan back to square one in Fukushima nuclear debris removal

Task of cleaning up damaged reactor more difficult than Three Mile Island

20240920N Fukushima debris recovery

A fishing rod-type device with a claw is being used to remove nuclear debris. (Photo by Ayaka Otaka)

KAZUNARI HANAWA, AYAKA OTAKA and RYOSUKE MATSUZOE, Nikkei staff writers

TOKYO -- The removal of melted fuel rods at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has run into another round of difficulties from equipment malfunctions and delays, threatening to push back the 2051 full decommissioning time line even further.

"From our perspective, we have only paused work," an official from Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, which operates the plant, said at a news conference Thursday. "We want to proceed with the work with safety as our priority."

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored ContentThis content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.