TOKYO, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday said the agency will continue to support Japan in safely decommissioning the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant.
In their meeting in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe briefed IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi on the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi plant stricken by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
"As the only country which has experienced the devastation of nuclear weapons in war, Japan attaches great importance to the activities of the IAEA, which is the cornerstone of the international nuclear nonproliferation regime," Abe said.
"You mentioned history, history is of course part of that but... I think it's also the present and the future where this organization and Japan have a lot to do together in so many areas," Grossi said.
Japan aims to finish dismantling the plant in 30 to 40 years after the disaster, but the process has been marred by problems including the disposal of more than 1 million tons of radioactively contaminated water in the process of cleanup as the seaside premises are running out of space to store it in tanks.
The IAEA backs Japan's dual-track approach of decommissioning the plant while revitalizing the local community, which remains fractured after the disaster, Grossi said.
The IAEA chief will visit the Fukushima plant on Wednesday for a first-hand look.
On Tuesday, Grossi also met with Japanese science and technology Minister Naokazu Takemoto and plans to meet with Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshi Kajiyama during his five-day trip to Japan.
