Japan, France call for G-20 nuclear regulators meeting

'We must fully understand what happened and what was experienced in Japan,' Mr Sarkozy told a joint press conference with Mr Kan. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

TOKYO - JAPAN and France pledged on Thursday to push for improved international nuclear safety standards as Tokyo struggled to contain an atomic plant disaster caused by a massive earthquake and tsunami.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the chairman of the Group of Eight and Group of 20, said the forums will take up the issue this year, as Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan shares Japan's experience with the rest of the world.

'We must fully understand what happened and what was experienced in Japan,' Mr Sarkozy told a joint press conference with Mr Kan.

'We have chosen to use nuclear power. That will not change,' he said, calling for strict international safety standards.

Mr Sarkozy also called for a meeting among nuclear safety agencies from G-20 member states.

'We call on the independent authorities of G-20 members to meet, if possible in Paris, to define an international nuclear safety standard' for power plants, he said in a speech earlier in the day at the French Embassy in Tokyo. 'It is absolutely abnormal that these international safety standards do not exist,' he said, suggesting the Paris meeting could take place as early as May. -- AFP