Japan moves to end nuclear crisis

THE operator of Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant moved closer to ending its radiation crisis yesterday with the start of a system to cool damaged reactors that could also help avoid dumping highly contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean.

The move was hailed as “a giant step forward” by Goshi Hosono, an adviser to Japan’s Prime Minister Naoto Kan.

“This is critical in two aspects,” Hosono told a news conference.