Wen urges Japan to give info on nuke plant, take control of crisis

TOKYO (Kyodo) - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao urged Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Tuesday to provide sufficient information about the ongoing nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant and called on Japan to effectively control the crisis, Japanese Foreign Ministry officials said.
The requests were made during their first telephone talks since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami crippled the Fukushima plant, causing radiation leaks.
Wen said China is focusing on the nuclear issue and wants the necessary information, according to the officials.
Kan assured Wen that Japan will continue to provide China and the rest of the international community with information with utmost transparency and explain the developments at the plant, the officials said.
The two leaders, during their 35-minute telephone conversation, agreed to closely cooperate in areas such as disaster preparedness and safety of nuclear power, the officials said.
Kan also thanked Wen for China's aid to Japan following the disaster, while Wen asked Kan to ''develop relations between China and Japan,'' according to Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto, who was present during the phone talk.
China sent a rescue team on a mission to search for survivors of the magnitude 9.0 quake and ensuing tsunami waves that mainly ravaged parts of northeastern Japan. The country has also sent relief goods such as tents, blankets and water for people in disaster-hit areas.