Until last night (April 20) residents were advised to leave the area around the plant which last month became, along with Chernobyl, became the two highest rated civil nuclear disasters in history.

Japan’s prime minister, Naoto Kan, announced the decision during a meeting with Fukushima state governor Yuhei Sato.

A government spokesman said: “We have been asking residents not to enter the area as there is a huge risk to their safety.”

Luke Walsh

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