Japan finds plutonium far from Fukushima

TOKYO, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- Japanese officials said they have found, for the first time, small amounts of plutonium from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant as far as 28 miles away.

Extensive testing has been under way since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami devastated Japan's east coast and badly damaged reactors at the plant, the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper said.

At a Tokyo news conference, federal officials announced the first discovery of leaked plutonium outside the immediate vicinity of the power plant, as well as radioactive strontium in 45 spots as far as 50 miles from the reactors, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The Yomiuri Shimbun said plutonium was found in six locations, all within the evacuation zone.

It can take as long as 24,000 years for plutonium isotopes to degrade and lose half their radiation, the Journal said.

The government report said both elements were found at "extremely low" levels and recommended officials concentrate more on cleaning up high concentrations of radioactive cesium in the area.

The cleanup cost at the nuclear site alone is estimated at $5 billion for the coming year, the Journal said.