Japan - The Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company say they have stabilized the crippled reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

But problems continue with the system for purifying contaminated water.

In a joint assessment, the government and TEPCO say they have completed the first step of a plan outlined in mid-April for a complete cold shutdown of the reactors. They say they completed the first step within the original 3-month deadline.

The assessment adds that reactors 1, 2 and 3 have been stably cooled down, and that nitrogen has been injected into their containment vessels to prevent hydrogen explosions.

Pools of spent nuclear fuel are also stable.

The government and TEPCO say radiation levels in the surrounding air and seawater have been declining, and the goal of reducing the amount of radiation leaking outside the plant has been achieved.

But the crisis is far from over. The assessment admits that contaminated water has leaked out of storage tanks, and that water level settings at its water purification facilities were incorrect.

Source: NHK World