Japan, Vietnam to push forward on joint nuclear plan

Japan and Vietnam on Monday reaffirmed their plan to build a nuclear power plant in the Southeast Asian country using Japanese technology, even as Tokyo still struggles to put the world's worst nuclear accident in 25 years under control, according to Reuters.

Last October, energy-hungry Vietnam accepted Japan as a partner in the construction of two nuclear reactors in Ninh Thuan province in central Vietnam.

But in March, the massive earthquake and tsunami that knocked out the cooling functions at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant triggering fuel rod meltdowns and radiation leakage put the deal in question.

A joint statement, released after Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda met with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung, said Japan was committed to enhance nuclear safety by sharing lessons learnt from the Fukushima accident.

"The Vietnamese side, welcoming such Japan's efforts, ... expressed its strong desire for the provisions of nuclear technologies from Japan," the statement said.

"The Japanese side expressed its intention to provide Vietnam with the technologies that represent the world's highest level of nuclear safety," it added.