TOKYO - Japan declared its tsunami-stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant, (240 km or 150 miles)  to be in cold shutdown in a major step toward resolving the world's worst nuclear crisis in 25 years after it  knocked out its cooling systems, triggering meltdowns and mass radiation leaks.

A cold shutdown is when water used to cool nuclear fuel rods remains below boiling point, preventing the fuel from reheating. one chief aims by Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco), all  3 of the affected reactors fell below boiling point and is  to bring the reactors to cold shutdown by the year-end.

But Kazuhiko Kudo, professor of nuclear engineering at Kyushu University, said authorities still needed to determine exactly the status of melted fuel inside the reactors and stabilise a makeshift cooling system, which handles the tens of thousands of tonnes of contaminated water accumulated on-site.

HUGE COSTS, ANXIETY -  The crisis shook the public's faith in nuclear energy

Govt and Tepco will aim to begin The enormous cost of the cleanup and compensating the victims of the disaster has drained Tepco financially. The govt may inject about $13 billion into the  Co as early as next summer in a de facto nationalisation.

Tepco estimates may pay about 4.5 trillion yen ($57 billion) in compensation in the first two yrs after the nuclear crisis, and experts say the figure could be as high as 4 trillion yen to decommission the plant  ($51 billion).

Japan Environment Ministry says about 2,400 square km (930 square miles) of land around the plant may need to be decontaminated, an area roughly the size of Luxembourg or 3X more then d size of Singapore.

Note - Singapore has reclaimed land land area has grown from 581.5  km² in the 1960s to 723.2  km² today, and may grow by another 100  km² by 2033.

Chernobyl's experience shows that anxiety with residents living near the former Soviet plant still regularly checking produce for radiation before consuming it 25 years after the disaster.

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda sought to draw a line under the crisis, though experts say it could be 40 years before the site is finally cleaned up.

Removing the undamaged nuclear rods from Daiichi's spent fuel pools next year. However, retrieval of fuel that melted down in their reactors may not begin for another decade.

Living in fear of radiation isit a choice we has to choose??. Cases of excessive radiation in vegetables, tea, milk, seafood and water have stoked anxiety despite always  save, assurances from public officials.