Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency officials indicated they will issue tougher instructions to Chubu Electric Power Co., operator of Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station which leaked radioactive water Saturday, following an inspection by the Shizuoka prefectural government Sunday.
The latest leak at the plant in Hamaoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, follows problems in November that shut it for months. Yoshihiro Tanabe, director general of the disaster prevention bureau of the Shizuoka government, called on the agency to send the utility a stern message.
Agency officials from the nuclear disaster prevention division visited the prefectural government office and explained the leak. They described it as "a slight accident."
They added, however, that proper preparations were not carried out in the resumption of operations at the facility and that Chubu Electric should have been more cautious, according to Shizuoka officials.