A tally of plutonium extracted at a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Tokai, Ibaraki Prefecture, since it began operating has come up 206 kg short, the government said Tuesday.

The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry reported the finding to the government's Atomic Energy Commission on Tuesday, and has also reported the case to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

It denied the possibility, however, that any plutonium had been illicitly removed from the facility.