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More bad news from Fukushima as reactor leaks continue

Is another nuclear emergency in the offing? Japanese officials express concern about the plant operator's ability to control the situation after a new leak is discovered.

Charles Cooper Former Executive Editor / News
Charles Cooper was an executive editor at CNET News. He has covered technology and business for more than 25 years, working at CBSNews.com, the Associated Press, Computer & Software News, Computer Shopper, PC Week, and ZDNet.
Charles Cooper
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Japan's nuclear agency has decided a recent radioactive water leak at the Fukushima nuclear power plant should be considered a level three incident -- making it the most serious incident since the reactor meltdown after the massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Originally, leaks of contaminated water from the plant were only classified as a level one incident.

This is just the latest flip-flop by the authorities since the Tokyo Electric Power Co., which operates the nuclear plant, had to walk back previous statements and admit that, yes, radiated water was indeed making its way into the Pacific Ocean at a rate of 300 tons a day.

So here we are, about two years removed from one of the biggest nuclear disasters in memory and Fukushima's future remains as murky as ever. Indeed, earlier in the month the nation's Prime Minster Shinzo Abe raised more questions about whether TEPCO has enough expertise to gain control over the situation.

The (ongoing) lesson of Fukushima? It could have been worse

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