Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Monday the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant can be brought under control in around six to nine months despite the meltdown confirmed in reactor No. 1.
Kan continued to back the timetable set last month by Tokyo Electric Power Co., which said in mid-April that it will take at least six months before it can stabilize the reactors.
"There may be some changes to the methods (for stabilizing the crisis), but I believe we can move forward with the plan without changing the time line," Kan told the Lower House Budget Committee.