A Japanese government official has risen to a challenge set by journalists to prove that water collected from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant was safe to drink. Albeit with some trepidation. MP Yasuhiro Sonoda downed a glass of water during a televised news conference and seems to have survived, although his shaky hands certainly betrayed his nerves.

Fukushima is still recovering from the earthquake and tsunami which hit the nuclear plant and surrounds in March, forcing 10 000 people to leave their homes. Since then, the safety of the plant has been vigorously called into question, but shutting it down is taking a long time, as the plant’s reactors stabilise and the water inside them cools down.

The Japanese government hopes to shut the plant down entirely by the end of 2011, but experts have estimated that it could take as long as 30 years to achieve this. The government has been under fire for its handling of the crisis. But at least now they have one MP prepared to stick his neck out and defend Fukushima’s safety with fun Fear Factor stunts.

[Source: BBC News]