French Energy Minister visits Fukushima disaster site

French Industry and Energy Minister Eric Besson has became the first foreign official to visit the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in Japan, which was devastated by a tsunami and earthquake almost a year ago.

Reuters/Issei Kato

France, while working on developing renewable energy, is mostly dependent on nuclear sources for its energy supply but Besson says that the Fukushima disaster is not going to change that.

While in Japan, Besson said a bilateral nuclear energy committee is being set up to examine all possible areas of cooperation in the domain between France and Japan.

Aileen Mioko Smith, at the head of an ecology and social NGO in Kyoto, Japan, is disappointed with the Japanese government's response to ordinary people affected by the nuclear accident.