Fukushima Nuclear Plant Stabilized

Some good news from Japan: The Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant is stabilized and a cold shutdown should be achieved within six months. Even so, Tokyo Electric Power Co. warns that final cleanup—which will involve encasing the plant in concrete—could take more than 10 years. Engineers have recently set up systems to cool the damaged reactors and decontaminate radioactive water, the Los Angeles Times reports.

There's still reason for caution: More than 140 beef cattle that were recently shipped to consumers in the nation are suspected of being contaminated with radiation, leading officials to suspend all beef cattle shipments from the region. And the 80,000 evacuated residents will have to wait several more months to find out when they can head back to their homes. "During the time that I've been involved in this effort, we've encountered every kind of difficulty, so I don't think we have room to be optimistic," says a government minister. (More Fukushima Daiichi stories.)