The operators of a Japanese nuclear fuel reprocessing plant say radioactive water has leaked within the plant's compound, but no radioactive material has escaped into the atmosphere.
A spokesman for the plant's operating company, Japan Nuclear Fuel, said Wednesday that 40 liters of water containing plutonium and other radioactive material spilled inside a secure area within the plant Tuesday. The spokesman said the water was later collected and that no one was exposed to radiation in the incident.
Wednesday, the plant in northern Aomori Prefecture was running as usual.
The plant is designed to both store radioactive material and create uranium-plutonium mixed oxide fuel for use in nuclear reactors. It has been running test operations for two weeks. An earlier accident at the plant and strong public opposition has delayed it from becoming fully operational.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.