Japan PM emphasize continuing need for nuclear plants

Japan''s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is set to emphasize the continuing need for nuclear power plants in Japan and will pledge to ensure the highest level of operational safety during an upcoming UN conference, according to a draft of his speech obtained by Japan''s News Agency "Kyodo". Noda will adopt a different position to that of his predecessor Naoto Kan, who sought to reduce the country''s reliance on nuclear power in the wake of the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. According to the draft, Noda will tell a session of the UN high-level meeting on nuclear safety and security on Thursday that his government will ''''raise the safety of nuclear plants to the highest level.