Pyongyang, October 7 (KCNA) -- Small traces of plutonium were detected in samples taken from six communities including Futaba cho and Namie cho and Iidate son northwest of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, Japan's Science Ministry said recently. They were believed to have been blown there after the March disaster at the plant.

The Japanese government said it has detected plutonium outside the crippled plant for the first time.

The Environment Ministry said that the amount of radioactively contaminated soil to be removed in Fukushima and adjacent prefectures could total 28.79 million cubic meters.