The Ibaraki Prefectural Government conducted a nuclear disaster drill in the village of Tokai on Saturday, one day ahead of the second anniversary of Japan's worst nuclear accident.
Some 3,400 people -- mainly local government employees, residents and pupils at local elementary schools and kindergartens -- participated.
The scenario involved a radiation leak at a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Tokai. Four other municipalities in the prefecture also took part.
The exercise was designed to prepare local people for such an accident and enable speedy cooperation among the local and central governments and the swift evacuation of residents, prefectural officials said.
On Sept. 30, 1999, a self-sustaining nuclear fission chain reaction occurred at a uranium processing plant run by JCO Co. in Tokai, 120 km northeast of the capital.
Two nuclear workers died from exposure to massive amounts of radiation and more than 600 people were exposed to radiation.
A criminal trial is under way at the Mito District Court on the responsibility of JCO and six top officials.