FUKUSHIMA (Kyodo) Prime Minister Naoto Kan went Saturday to an operation base in Fukushima Prefecture to encourage Self-Defense Forces personnel and civilian workers trying to contain the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 power station.
Before visiting the base camp set up at the J-Village athletic training facility about 20 km from the nuclear plant, Kan flew by SDF helicopter to Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, a city devastated by the March 11 quake and tsunami, to meet with evacuees.
It was his second trip to the nuclear plant. A visit scheduled for March 21 to meet with evacuees in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, was canceled at the last minute due to poor weather.