Japan says evacuation will be 'long-term' as country prepares to 'control' situation
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said that the evacuation of residents near the country's stricken nuclear plant will be "long-term," as Japan's nuclear crisis stretched into a third week, with no end in sight.
Japan is struggling to regain control of a damaged nuclear plant north of Tokyo, which is leaking very high levels of radiation, after an earthquake and tsunami hit on March 11. More than 27,973 people are dead or missing and hundreds of thousands have been left homeless as a result of the tsunami.
Meanwhile, Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan said he was ready for a long battle to bring the quake-hit Fukushima nuclear plant under control.
He also said in a nationally broadcast news conference that he wanted to decide by the end of the month on the content of an extra budget for earthquake relief.
"I am prepared for a long-term battle over the Fukushima nuclear plant and to win this battle," he said.
"At the current stage, we cannot say that the plant has been sufficiently stabilised. But we are preparing for all kinds of situations and I am convinced that the plant can be stabilised. We cannot say at this stage by when this will happen, but we are trying our best."
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