UN Inspectors Assess Japan Nuke Plant

Philippe Jamet, director of the Nuclear Installation Safety Division of International Atomic Energy Agency, answers questions as he arrives at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant for its inspection in Kashiwazaki, northeastern Japan, Monday, Aug. 6, 2007. The nuclear power plant was damaged by July 16 magnitude-6.8 quake that killed 11 people and injured more than 1,000. It also caused numerous malfunctions and leaks at the plant - the world's largest in terms of capacity - and raised concerns about safety at Japan's nuclear power stations. (AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara) (Katsumi Kasahara - AP)

KASHIWAZAKI, Japan -- A team of U.N. nuclear inspectors on Monday began a four-day assessment of a nuclear power plant severely damaged by an earthquake last month.

The magnitude-6.8 quake in Niigata province on July 16 killed 11 people and injured more than 1,000. It also caused malfunctions and leaks at the plant _ the world's largest in terms of capacity _ and raised concerns about safety at Japan's nuclear power stations.

The International Atomic Energy Agency team, led by Philippe Jamet, its Nuclear Installation Safety Division director, started examining the plant Monday morning.

The team returns to Tokyo on Friday for talks with Japanese nuclear safety officials, Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said in a statement.

Jamet told reporters after his arrival Sunday that his team will conduct an independent examination and then write a report.

Japanese officials, already at the plant for investigations, will cooperate with the six-member IAEA team, but the U.N. agency's probe will be independent, agency officials said.

Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. revealed hundreds of problems and damages in the quake's aftermath, including a leak of radioactive water into the sea, although the amount of radioactivity released was minimal.

Plant officials said they had not foreseen such a powerful quake hitting the facility, and repeatedly underreported its impact afterward.