No explosion likely at Japan nuclear plant

A fire risk assessment has been conducted at the Fukushima Daiichi civil nuclear plant and Japan's chief cabinet secretary Yukio Edano has as a result claimed there is no threat of an explosion in the reactor.

Speaking in Tokyo shortly before a visit from the French president Nicolas Sarkozy, he stated that the International Atomic Energy Agency is in agreement there is little risk of a blast.

Mr Edano was quoted as saying by the Hindu that Japan "has been providing relevant information on the nuclear power plant accidents, proactively, to foreign governments".

The French president has offered support to Japan in controlling the problems occurring at the Fukushima Daiichi civil nuclear plant and spoke of the need to have an international safety standard established in the coming months.

Issues arose at the plant after last month's earthquake and subsequent tsunami, while the Japanese government has been criticised for withholding information about the situation.