Japan is to carry out safety tests of all nuclear stations to address concerns among communities hosting reactors, almost three weeks after the government declared them safe in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear crisis.
"We need to conduct stress tests as soon as possible so we can have a better sense of safety," Trade Minister Banri Kaieda told reporters in Tokyo today. "We must put priority on testing reactors that are preparing to restart."
Governments around the world have called for inspections of atomic stations after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami caused the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl.
Local officials in Japan, including the governor of Hokkaido, have called for more assurances, after Mr Kaieda said on June 18 the country's nuclear operators had taken the proper steps to handle a similar incident.
"The government wants to show Japanese atomic plants meet international standards and to assure local residents reactors are safe," said Kazuhiko Kudo, a research professor of nuclear engineering at Kyushu University. "It's unlikely any reactors will be declared unsafe."
Japan's safety checks will take into consideration similar tests being carried out in Europe on nuclear plants that evaluate whether reactors can withstand disasters such as quakes and floods as well as plane crashes and explosions.
Agencies