Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has admitted that there will be a long-term battle to stabilise Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
The Japanese government has also indicated that it may take a long time before residents of towns and villages close to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor are able to return to their homes.
"I know for certain that it will not be a few days or weeks before we are able to call off the evacuation on a full scale," The Telegraph quoted Yukio Edano, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, as saying.
However, Kan pledged that he would do "whatever it takes to win the battle" at the nuclear power station.
"We cannot say that the plant has been sufficiently stabilised, but we are preparing for all kinds of situations. I am prepared for a long-term battle over the Fukushima nuclear plant and to win this battle," he said.
The PM also sought to allay fears of the impact on the health of people living close to the plant, saying, "As long as the public adheres to government's advice, people's health will not be compromised."
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