Japan to Run Stress Tests on Nuclear Power Plants

Posted July 6th, 2011 at 1:05 am (UTC-5)
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The Japanese government says it will conduct stress tests on all the country's nuclear reactors to determine whether they can withstand a natural disaster.

Trade Minister Banri Kaieda told reporters Wednesday that tests will be conducted on all 54 operational reactors to ensure there will be no problems with power supplies.

The decision follows a disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which has been leaking radiation into the air, ground and sea since a March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The disasters knocked out the cooling systems at Fukushima, which led to a meltdown in three of its reactors.

The accident is the world's most severe nuclear crisis since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.