While the outcome of the crisis at a nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture remains uncertain, experts Sunday were quick to stress there are no signs of a critical meltdown, let alone a catastrophe comparable to the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

"I think the worst scenario has been avoided," said Hiromi Ogawa, a former engineer at Toshiba Corp. who managed its nuclear power generation project.

Other pundits dismissed the notion of comparing the Fukushima crisis to Chernobyl, noting that the two plants differ in basic construction, including the setup of the reinforced containment vessel.