The operator of Japan's crippled nuclear plant laid out a blueprint Sunday for stopping radiation leaks and stabilizing damaged reactors within the next six to nine months as a first step toward allowing some of the tens of thousands of evacuees to return to the area.

While the government said the timeframe was realistic, those forced to flee their homes, jobs and farms were frustrated that their exile is not going to end soon. And officials acknowledge that unforeseen complications, or even another natural disaster, could set that timetable back even further.

"Well, this year is lost," said Kenji Matsueda, 49, who is living in an evacuation center in Fukushima after being forced from his home 12 miles (20 kilometers) from the plant. "I have no idea what I will do. Nine months is a long time. And it could be longer. I don't think they really know.

Associated Press in Pyongyang

Thee Associated Press (AP), one of the main news agencies in the U.S., has asked North Korean authorities to help it open a bureau in Pyongyang, a news report claimed Thursday.
Itar-Tass, a Russian news agency, reported from the North Korean capital that a delegation for AP, headed by its president and CEO Thomas Curley, made the request during its ongoing visit to Pyongyang.
Citing an informed Korean source, Itar-Tass reported that the AP delegation said opening a Pyongyang bureau “would make it possible to create in the United States an objective and truthful picture of events” taking place in the communist regime.
“However, there is no clarity so far on the issue of opening of the AP office,” the source was quoted as saying.
North Korea’s state media reported briefly on Tuesday of the arrival of the AP delegation, but didn’t elaborate on why AP was visiting and how long its delegation would stay.
A source in Seoul had earlier told Yonhap News Agency that Curley is scheduled to stay in Pyongyang until Friday and his visit may be aimed at trying to set up a news bureau in the reclusive state.
Among foreign news agencies, only Itar-Tass and China’s Xinhua have bureaus in Pyongyang, while a journalist from the People’s Daily newspaper of China is also based there.
Itar-Tass on Thursday said officials from Reuters, the London-based news agency, also visited Pyongyang earlier with a similar request.
AP Television News, the international video division of AP, opened a full-time office in Pyongyang in 2006, making it the first Western news organization to establish a permanent presence in North Korea. The Pyongyang office of APTN currently provides only video images.

Japan earthquake

The largest earthquake in Japan since records push north east coast today, causing a tsunami 10 meters, which flooded everything in its path.
Here are 10 facts strong earthquakes recorded since 1900, by order of size.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 9.5 Santiago and Concepción, triggering tidal waves and volcanic eruptions - May 22, 1960 - Chile. And killed about 5000 people and displaced two million people.
Killed earthquake and tsunami that followed 125 people and caused about $ 310,000,000 ($ 414,290,000) in the loss of property - March 28, 1964 - Alaska. Size 9.2 earthquake hit a large area of ​​Alaska and parts of western Yukon territory and British Columbia in Canada.
December 26, 2004 - Indonesia - Earthquake measuring 9.1 struck off the coast of Aceh province on Sumatra island of Indonesia, the tsunami killed more than 226,000 people in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, India and nine other countries.
November 4, 1952 - Russia - was born earthquake was magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami reached the Hawaiian Islands.
No lives were lost.
March 11, 2011 - An earthquake measuring 8.9 Japan, causing many casualties. Q. U.S. Geological review of the quake is located at a depth of 15.1 kilometers and 81 kilometers east of Sendai, the main island of Honshu.
- Philippines, Taiwan and Indonesia all issued tsunami alerts, memories of young massive tsunami that hit Asia in 2004. Warning Center issued a tsunami warnings to Pacific countries as far away as Columbia and Peru.
A magnitude of 8.8 and subsequent tsunami in Chile more than 500 people and caused about $ 30 billion in damage, and destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes, roads and bridges and to change the name - February 27, 2010 - Chile.
January 31, 1906 - Ecuador - An earthquake magnitude-8.8 coast of Ecuador and Colombia, a tsunami that killed up to 1000 people. He felt along the coast of Central America, north of San Francisco and west to Japan.
February 4, 1965 - Alaska - Born earthquake was magnitude 8.7 earthquake tsunami is reported to be about 35 feet (10.7 meters) on the island of Shemya.
March 28, 2005 - The estimated 8.7-magnitude earthquake off Sumatra killed 1300 people, including many on the island of Nias off the west coast of the island of Sumatra.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 8.6 Islands Andreanof - 9 March 1957 - Alaska. On the island of Umnak, Mount Vsevidof exploded after lying dormant for 200 years, a tsunami 50 feet (15 feet) that continued to Hawaii.
August 15, 1950 - Tibet / India - Two thousand homes, temples and mosques were destroyed in an earthquake measuring 8.6 degrees. Was most striking in the basin of the Brahmaputra River in northeastern India. At least 1500 people.