17 Jul 2012

Fukushima footage to be released

10:38 pm on 17 July 2012

The operator of the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan has bowed to pressure and agreed to release hours of teleconference video taken in the days after last year's meltdowns.

The plant was hit by a magnitude 9 earthquake and a tsunami in March last year.

The TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company) has, however, confirmed to the ABC that crucial audio of a heated exchange with then-prime minister Naoto Kan is missing.

TEPCO says its hard drive was full.

Mr Kan has told the ABC he believes TEPCO has resisted releasing the tapes because the company is trying to hide something.

He describes the missing audio of his speech as "strange".