TOKYO, July 22 (UPI) -- A Japanese nuclear power plant affected by a powerful earthquake should undergo immediate international inspection, officials said Sunday.
Officials in Niigata prefecture want Japan's government to sanction an inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Kyodo news service reported.
Problems at the plant reported worldwide are "damaging the prefecture's tourism, agriculture and fisheries industries due to harmful rumors," said the prefecture's petition to federal officials and executives at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant, owned by Tokyo Electric Power Co.
The regional request came after federal officials rejected the IAEA's offer to inspect the plant.
Tokyo Electric Power has said Monday's 6.8 magnitude quake caused leakage of low-level radioactive material.
