Noda confident of ending nuclear crisis

NEW YORK, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Japan will disclose all information about its nuclear plant crisis as well as the safety lessons learned from it, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda pledged.

Addressing a United Nations high-level meeting on nuclear safety and security in New York, the Japanese leader said he was confident the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant caused by a March 11 earthquake and tsunami would be brought under control, Kyodo News reported.

He said plans are to bring the crippled reactors into a state of cold shutdown by the end of the year, one month ahead of the original deadline.

Noda said he visited the power plant earlier this month for a closer look and noted "the steady progress in our efforts to bring the accident under stable control."

The prime minister said latest estimates showed the amount of radioactive substances escaping from the reactors has fallen substantially from earlier estimates.

Noda said Japan's emergency response and preparedness for the tsunami was insufficient made this assurance: "Japan is determined to raise the safety of its nuclear power generation to the highest level in the world."

Kyodo said that comment signaled his government has no immediate plans to phase out Japan's nuclear reactors. He said Japan will also speed up efforts to take the lead in expanding renewable energy use.

Those attending the meeting proposed that global nuclear safety standards be enhanced in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

"Participants affirmed that the responsibility for ensuring the application of the highest standards of nuclear safety ... lies with each state and operating organization,'' U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.