Japan’s nuclear safety agency says the operator of the country’s troubled nuclear complex repeatedly failed to make crucial inspections of equipment in the weeks before it was crippled by the earthquake and tsunami.

TWO units at Japan’s stricken nuclear plant safely cooled down yesterday, though pressure unexpectedly rose in a third unit’s reactor and traces of radiation were found in more foods, further shaking an already uneasy public.

Two units at Japan's stricken nuclear plant safely cooled down today, though pressure unexpectedly rose in a third unit's reactor as scientists continued to wage a battle to get a handle on the crisis.

EMERGENCY workers frantic to regain control of Japan’s dangerously overheated nuclear complex turned to increasingly elaborate methods yesterday to cool nuclear fuel rods at risk of spraying out more radiation.

Emergency workers are continuing frantic efforts to cool nuclear fuel at Japan’s stricken reactors complex.

Japan has deployed military helicopters, high-pressure water cannons and fire trucks in an increasingly desperate attempt to cool overheating nuclear fuel at the wrecked Fukushima plant.

The fuel rods in one of Japan’s damaged nuclear reactors have been temporarily fully exposed from their coolant, raising the risk of overheating and a meltdown.

The second hydrogen blast in three days rocked Japan’s earthquake-stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant today, sending a massive column of smoke into the air and injuring 11 people.

Two ships carrying radioactive material back to Britain from Japan were today expected to dock in the UK at a port off the Irish Sea.

The energy company responsible for transporting two nuclear shipments to Britain from Japan today hit back at claims that the cargo was a target for terrorists.

The nuclear plant at Sellafield in Britain has been dealt a devastating blow this evening, and anti-nuclear campaigners are confident that the plant is now in grave danger.