A visit from the IAEA, looser rules on hometown visits for evacuees and another small earthquake were among the developments at Fukushima Daiichi this week.
Recent stories of note related to the Tokyo Electric Power Co. plant blacked out following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami include:
IAEA Team Inspects Site
At Japan's request, a team of 13 experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency visited the plant Wednesday as part of the organization's review of plans to decommission the damaged reactors and spent fuel pools. According to an IAEA release, the visit followed two days of meetings with Japanese regulators, and the trip should be complete Monday.
Evacuees Allowed More Frequent Home Visits
People who remain evacuated from areas near the plant will be allowed to visit their homes more frequently, the Japanese government announced Thursday. Kyodo reported that residents of Futaba, Okuma, Tomioka and Namie will be allowed to visit their homes monthly. The previous rules restricted visits to once every three or four months.
Plant Reports Include Injury, Earthquake
TEPCO's account of activity at the plant this week noted that a contractor in the unit 5 turbine building fell about six feet while conducting an inspection Monday. He was taken from the site in an ambulance with injuries to his foot and hip that TEPCO indicated would require three months of hospitalization.
Among the other developments reported by TEPCO, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake was recorded offshore from Fukushima Prefecture on Sunday night. Workers inspected the plant, and TEPCO said no problems were found.