Japan's prime minister pledged Wednesday in his traditional new year's press conference to bring "rebirth" to the area around the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant.
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said authorities would work to decontaminate the region from radioactive fallout, while ensuring compensation and health checks for those affected by the disaster.
"These three pillars will bring the rebirth of Fukushima," he said. Noda gave no timeframe, and government officials have said it may be years or even decades before many of the 100,000 residents displaced by the disaster can return.
The nuclear crisis, the worst since Chernobyl in 1986, was triggered by damage from an earthquake and tsunami in March. It spewed radiation into the surrounding soil, water and forests. A 20-kilometer (12-mile) region around the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant plus some adjacent areas remain off-limits. (AP)
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