Second Fukushima nuclear sample removal eyed for spring

Tokyo: The operator of Japan s stricken Fukushima nuclear plant said Thursday it will start the second round of a tricky operation to collect samples...

Tokyo: The operator of Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant said Thursday it will start the second round of a tricky operation to collect samples of radioactive debris from the site this spring.

Around 880 tonnes of hazardous material remain at the Fukushima site, 13 years after a catastrophic tsunami caused by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake triggered one of history's worst nuclear accidents.

Removing the debris is seen as the most daunting challenge in a decommissioning project due to last decades, because of the dangerously high radiation levels.

Last month, operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) said a trial debris removal operation using a specially developed extendible device had been completed.

The sample weighing just below 0.7 grams (0.02 ounces) -- equivalent to about one raisin -- was delivered to a research lab near Tokyo for analysis.