<p>An IAEA expert expressed concern that the Japanese reactors were only designed to withstand magnitude 7.0 tremors, according to a December 2008 US diplomatic cable obtained by the WikiLeaks website, Telegraph reported.<br /><br />The IAEA official told a meeting of the G8's Nuclear Safety and Security Group in Tokyo in 2008 that Japan's safety guidelines were outdated, the cable said.<br /><br />"He (the IAEA official) explained that safety guides for seismic safety have only been revised three times in the last 35 years and that the IAEA is now re-examining them," it added.<br /><br />"Also, the presenter noted recent earthquakes in some cases have exceeded the design basis for some nuclear plants, and that this is a serious problem that is now driving seismic safety work," it added.<br /><br />The government responded by building an emergency response centre at the Fukushima site, but the plant was still only designed to withstand a 7.0 quake.<br /><br />Engineers yesterday battled to restore the cooling system at the Fukushima No. 1 plant which was knocked out by last Friday's massive earthquake and tsunami, making a meltdown possible.<br /><br />Another cable sent in March 2006 showed that the Japanese government had opposed a court order to close a plant in the country's west over doubts about its ability to withstand an earthquake.<br /><br />According to the cable, Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency believed the reactor was "safe" and that "all safety analyses were appropriately conducted." (AFP) RCJ</p>
<p>An IAEA expert expressed concern that the Japanese reactors were only designed to withstand magnitude 7.0 tremors, according to a December 2008 US diplomatic cable obtained by the WikiLeaks website, Telegraph reported.<br /><br />The IAEA official told a meeting of the G8's Nuclear Safety and Security Group in Tokyo in 2008 that Japan's safety guidelines were outdated, the cable said.<br /><br />"He (the IAEA official) explained that safety guides for seismic safety have only been revised three times in the last 35 years and that the IAEA is now re-examining them," it added.<br /><br />"Also, the presenter noted recent earthquakes in some cases have exceeded the design basis for some nuclear plants, and that this is a serious problem that is now driving seismic safety work," it added.<br /><br />The government responded by building an emergency response centre at the Fukushima site, but the plant was still only designed to withstand a 7.0 quake.<br /><br />Engineers yesterday battled to restore the cooling system at the Fukushima No. 1 plant which was knocked out by last Friday's massive earthquake and tsunami, making a meltdown possible.<br /><br />Another cable sent in March 2006 showed that the Japanese government had opposed a court order to close a plant in the country's west over doubts about its ability to withstand an earthquake.<br /><br />According to the cable, Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency believed the reactor was "safe" and that "all safety analyses were appropriately conducted." (AFP) RCJ</p>