Tokyo Electric Power Co. in an apparent flip-flop Thursday claimed it did not temporarily stop the injection of seawater into the damaged Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant on March 12, a day after the deadly earthquake and tsunami.
On Saturday, the utility announced that the injection of seawater into reactor unit 1 had been suspended for close to an hour.
The media reported that Prime Minister Naoto Kan ordered Tepco to stop due to the risk of starting a chain reaction in an event known as a "recriticality," and suggested the halt may have caused the situation to deteriorate. Kan later completely denied the allegations, saying he nor the government gave such orders.