Officials at the world's biggest nuclear power plant admitted on Tuesday there had been more radiation leaks after an earthquake in Japan that killed nine people and forced thousands from their homes.
The admissions by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) have reignited fears about nuclear safety in a country that relies on atomic power for one-third of its electricity but has faced repeated cover-ups of past accidents by atomic power utilities.
"I believe that nuclear power plants can only be operated with the trust of the people," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters in Tokyo, some about 250 km (155 miles) southeast of Niigata prefecture, where the quake struck on Monday morning.
"For this, if something happens they need to report on it thoroughly and quickly. We need to get them to strictly reflect on this incident," Abe added.
A small fire in a transformer at TEPCO's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant sparked when the 6.8 magnitude quake struck on Monday was quickly extinguished.
But while TEPCO had initially said that the lethal earthquake had not caused any leaks, it revealed later on Monday night that 1,200 litres of radioactive water had sloshed into the sea from its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata.
The company added that the quake was stronger than its reactors had been designed to withstand.
Then on Tuesday, a TEPCO official told a news conference that checks of 22,000 drums containing nuclear waste at a warehouse had found about 100 had fallen over and "several" lost their lids.
Only about half the drums had been inspected so far, and it was not immediately clear from the official's comments whether there was any impact on the environment or people.
Also on Tuesday, the company admitted that a small amount of radioactive materials -- cobalt-60, iodine and chromium-51 -- had been emitted into the atmosphere.
A trade ministry official said the amounts were too small to pose an environmental threat.
HOMES DESTROYED, UTILITIES CUT
It was unclear on Tuesday when TEPCO's power units could restart after the trade minister said safety must come first.
