°µºÚ±¬ÁÏ

The plant that was badly damaged in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami was found to be leaking contaminated water last month.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company, which owns the plant, says about 80,000 gallons of contaminated water have spewed from a metal holding tank. The leak is reportedly the largest of several at the tsunami-damaged facility.

Water in all its forms has caused trouble at the ruined Fukushima nuclear plant this week. They are reminders that the problems are far from over.

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was crippled in March 2011 by an earthquake and tsunami. Groundwater continues to pour into its reactor buildings, and workers are pumping it out. A forest likely will be cut down to make room for more storage tanks. Meanwhile, some storage facilities are leaking.

Kenichi Togawa was working at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Japan the day the earthquake and tsunami struck. His family is still living in temporary housing. For many people, the stress and isolation brought on by the disaster could pose more persistent hazards than the radiation.

The Liberal Democratic Party won resoundingly Sunday in parliamentary elections that both Washington and Beijing were watching carefully. The conservative LDP's hawkish leader, Shinzo Abe, will become Japan's prime minister for the second time and has pledged to take a harder line on China.

The admission marked a reversal for Tokyo Electric Power Co., which had defended it preparedness before the 2011 tsunami.

Since the 2011 Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear accident, people in Japan have been taking to the streets to protest nuclear power in a way not seen since the Vietnam War. Decades ago, the media announced it would no longer cover such demonstrations after a protester died. Lucy Craft has the story.

A study found that a third of the residents of Minamisoma had detectable levels of radiation. But another study said plant workers are at risk of psychological distress.

Germany has announced plans for a total nuclear phaseout in 10 years and an ambitious transition to renewable energy. But one big challenge is distribution, and new power lines are planned. Opposition is growing among Germans who say the power-grid expansion will hurt their homes, land and lives.