Workers have returned to the tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear power plant following an evacuation due to a surge in radiation.
Their return comes as government spokesperson Yukio Edano said radiation levels outside the evacuation zone were not high enough to cause an immediate health risk.
Staff had been withdrawn from the plant after radiation levels spiked to their highest levels so far at Reactor 3 and a second fire broke out at Reactor 4.
A military helicopter was seen carrying water to the plant in an apparent bid to cool down the most troubled reactors, according to Japan's NHK public broadcaster.
However, the television station claimed the mission has since been aborted due to safety concerns.
n a rare live address, Japan's Emperor Akihito has thanked those involved in disaster relief across the country and expressed his deep concern about the escalating nuclear crisis.
Officials have been struggling to address the failure of safety systems at several of the plant's reactors.
There are six reactors at the plant, and the three that were operating at the time of the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami.
Two workers are missing after an explosion at the plant on Tuesday.
It is believed they were working in the turbine area of Reactor 4 at the time of the blast.
The government has ordered some 140,000 people in the vicinity to stay indoors.
Those living less than 12 miles (20km) from the site have been told to evacuate.
Breaking News
9:43am UK, Wednesday March 16, 2011
Evacuated Workers Return To Nuclear Plant
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Kat Higgins, Sky News Online
Workers have returned to the tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear power plant following an evacuation due to a surge in radiation.
Their return comes as government spokesperson Yukio Edano said radiation levels outside the evacuation zone were not high enough to cause an immediate health risk.
Staff had been withdrawn from the plant after radiation levels spiked to their highest levels so far at Reactor 3 and a second fire broke out at Reactor 4.
A military helicopter was seen carrying water to the plant in an apparent bid to cool down the most troubled reactors, according to Japan's NHK public broadcaster.
However, the television station claimed the mission has since been aborted due to safety concerns.
radiation expert: the fallout is being contained - for now
In a rare live address, Japan's Emperor Akihito has thanked those involved in disaster relief across the country and expressed his deep concern about the escalating nuclear crisis.
Officials have been struggling to address the failure of safety systems at several of the plant's reactors.
There are six reactors at the plant, and the three that were operating at the time of the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami.
Two workers are missing after an explosion at the plant on Tuesday.
It is believed they were working in the turbine area of Reactor 4 at the time of the blast.
The government has ordered some 140,000 people in the vicinity to stay indoors.
Those living less than 12 miles (20km) from the site have been told to evacuate.
inside the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant
A low level of radiation was also detected in Tokyo, triggering panic buying of food and water.
Meanwhile, Japan's nuclear safety agency has said around 70% of the nuclear fuel rods in Reactor 1 have been damaged.
Agency spokesman Minoru Ohgoda said: "We don't know the nature of the damage, and it could be either melting, or there might be some holes in them."
The Kyodo news agency said 33% of the fuel rods at a second reactor were also damaged.
On Tuesday, the country's prime minister Naoto Kan said radiation levels on the east coast had "risen considerably".
The nuclear crisis has triggered international alarm and partly overshadowed the damage caused by the two natural disasters that killed an estimated 10,000 people.