RADIATION LEAK FOUND OUTSIDE JAPAN NUCLEAR REACTOR

The BBC's Mark Worthington says many people in Japan are becoming increasingly concerned about what is going to happen in the future

Highly radioactive water has been found for the first time outside one of the reactor buildings at Japan's quake-hit Fukushima nuclear plant, officials say.

The leak in a tunnel linked to the No 2 reactor has raised fears of radioactive liquid seeping into the environment.

Earlier, Japan's government strongly criticised the plant's operator, Tepco, over mistaken radiation readings.

Officials said the radiation scare inside the No 2 reactor was caused by a partial meltdown of fuel rods.

This discovery of highly radioactive water outside a reactor building is a worrying development, says the BBC's Mark Worthington in Tokyo.

Up until now, pools of water with extremely high levels of radiation have only been detected within the reactor buildings themselves. 

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