TOKYO (World News) - Japan's government will announce soon its contingency plans for dealing with nuclear accidents to ease public concerns about restarting reactors closed since the Fukushima radiation crisis last year, Trade Minister Yukio Edano said on Monday.
Contingency plans for Kansai Electric Power Co's two reactors, which are at the most advanced stage in the government's safety checks before restarting, would be announced in a few days, said Edano, who also has the energy portfolio.
The government, which has demanded a series of safety measures on all nuclear generators since the disaster last March, is also keen to see the public accept the idea of restarting the first two reactors.
But it also wants to avoid power shortages this summer, when demand peaks. Osaka-based Kansai is the country's most nuclear-reliant regional power utility.
"I understand this is now a major concern of people and the most important point in case there were a severe accident," said Edano, referring to the government's improved contingency plans.
"There is a possibility for any idled reactors, whether they are running or offline, to suffer from a severe accident as long as active nuclear fuels are located," he told reporters.
A huge earthquake and devastating tsunami in March 2011 triggered the crisis at Tokyo Electric Power's Fukushima Daiichi plant, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee in the world's worst nuclear accident in 25 years.
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, Edano and two other cabinet ministers have met four times since last week to discuss the possible restarts of the No.3 and No.4 reactors at Kansai's Ohi plant in western Japan.
It had not yet been decided when the next four-minister meeting would be held, Edano said.
He said the government has made its nuclear watchdog better prepared against major accidents. Based on lessons from the Fukushima crisis, it had also improved measures to avoid confusion between it, nuclear operators and the public.
On Monday, the ministers agreed the Ohi reactors largely met the safety criteria for reactor restarts.
But they also agreed to continue debate to ensure that nothing was left out and that restarts of the two reactors were essential to avoid power shortages in Kansai's service area.
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