Japan is to decommission four stricken reactors at the quake-hit Fukushima nuclear plant, the operator says.
Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) made the announcement three weeks after failing to bring reactors 1 - 4 under control. Locals would be consulted on reactors 5 and 6, which were shut down safely.
Harmful levels of radioactivity have been detected in the area.
More than 11,000 people are known to have been killed by the devastating 11 March earthquake and tsunami.
Emperor Akihito visited a centre for earthquake and tsunami victims in the Tokyo area on Wednesday.
Rolling blackoutsThe emperor's visit "gives me strength" said one of the evacuees.
Japanese experts are considering whether to cover the reactor buildings at the Fukushima Daiichi plant with a special material, to stop the spread of radioactive substances, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano says.
On Wednesday, the government ordered nuclear power plant operators to start implementing new safety measures immediately.
The steps - to be completed by the end of April - include preparing back-up power in case of loss of power supply.
Fire trucks will be on standby to intervene and ensure cooling systems for both reactors and pools of used fuel are maintained.
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Banri Kaieda said this did not mean that nuclear plant operations should be halted.
Tepco's president Masataka Shimizu has been admitted to hospital, suffering from high blood pressure and dizziness.
Hours later, Tepco chairman Tsunehisa Katsumata spoke to reporters for the first time.
He admitted that the company had not been able to cool the reactors, and pledged maximum efforts to stabilise them. And he added that reactors 1-4 would eventually have to be shut down for good.
Mr Katsumata said his company was preparing to compensate those suffering damage caused by radiation leaks.
The chairman also apologised for the inconvenience caused by the rolling blackouts imposed to cope with power shortages.
The earthquake and tsunami damaged the nuclear plant's power supply, leading to a failure of the cooling systems.
Since then engineers have been using seawater to cool down the core of the reactors, but the operation has failed to stop radioactive leaks.
Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan has said the country is on "maximum alert".
Tepco has been accused of a lack of transparency and failing to provide information promptly.
Seawater radiationSeawater near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has reached a much higher level of radiation than previously reported.
The new readings near reactor No 1 - 300m (984ft) from the shore - showed radioactive iodine at 3,355 times the legal limit, said Japan's nuclear safety agency.
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