Japan eyes possible damage to spent nuclear fuel

Japanese regulators discounted concerns about damage to the still-potent spent fuel from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant's No. 4 reactor Thursday, saying high radiation levels reported earlier this week "most probably" came from outside debris.

A high reading above the pool prompted the plant's owner, the Tokyo Electric Power Company, to take a sample from the spent fuel pool on Tuesday. But the radiation levels are far lower than they would be if there were damage to the fuel rods, said Hidehiko Nishiyama, the chief spokesman for Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Commission.