Radiation level in plant still dangerous, robots report

A PAIR of thin robots on treads sent to explore buildings inside Japan’s crippled nuclear reactor came back with disheartening news: radiation levels are far too high for repair crews to go inside.

Nevertheless, officials are hopeful they can stick to their “roadmap” for cleaning up the radiation leak and stabilising the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant by year’s end so they can begin returning tens of thousands of evacuees to their homes.

“Even I had expected high radioactivity in those areas. I’m sure (plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co) and other experts have factored in those figures when they compiled the roadmap,” chief cabinet secretary Yukio Edano said.