The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan on April 25 published the results of the analysis of the contamination of atmosphere and soil in a place about 4 km northwest of the nuclear power plant.

According to it, iodine-131 of 310 Bq per one cubic meter was detected in the atmosphere in Maeda, Futaba chon and this is more than 62 times the radiation limit in ordinary times at the power plant. Cesium-137 of 380,000 Bq per one kg of earth was detected in Yamata, Futaba chon.

As high concentration of radioactive substance is still detected in Futaba chon near the power plant, the Jiji Press reported that radioactive substance is believed to have ceaselessly leaked from the power plant.

The chief Cabinet secretary announced a ban on cultivating rice in the evacuation area within the radius of 20 km centering around the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.

An assistant to the prime minister said that no one predicted that there might occur a hydrogen explosion at reactors of the power plant right after the massive earthquake on March 11, thus officially admitting that there are no countermeasures against the possible hydrogen explosion.

The rising level of contaminated water and radiation at Reactors Nos. 3 and 4 of the power plant is creating difficulties in the work to tide over the crisis.

According to NHK, the level of the contaminated water in the pool of Reactor No. 3 rose 2 cm in 23 hours till 6 p.m. on April 25 and that of underground water near the building that houses the turbine rose 10 cm as compared with that before three days. Radioactive substance 1,000 times that of Reactor No. 4 was detected in the underground water near Reactor No. 3.

The results of measurement of concentration of radioactive materials in the underground water near the building which houses turbine of Reactor No. 4 on April 21 led to confirming that the level of cesium-134 and 137 and iodine-131 was 250 times and 12 times respectively as compared with that one month ago.

The level of underground water in Reactor No. 4 is 115 cm as of April 25, 20 cm higher than that ten days ago.

NHK reported that the failure to solve the problem of contaminated water would make it impossible for the power plant to launch a full-dress work. It said that the Tokyo Electrical Power Co. would face bigger difficulties in the transfer and disposal of contaminated water in the future.

The Japan National Police Agency announced that the death toll caused by quake and the ensuing tsunami increased to 14 508 as of 10:00 on April 27.

Researchers of the Earthquake Institute of Tokyo University analyzed that quakes are likely to occur in those areas influenced by the movement of the earth's crust caused by the massive earthquake as the ground of Tokyo and areas around it is affected by the movement.

It is reported that the probability that a magnitude of 7 earthquake will jolt Minami-Kanto area in three decades to come is 70 percent at present.