IAEA approves nuclear safety plan

The UN nuclear agency's 151 member states endorsed an action plan on Thursday to help strengthen global nuclear safety in the wake of Japan's Fukushima accident, despite criticism from some that it does not go far enough, Reuters reports.

The annual General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna approved by consensus the plan prepared by the office of IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano.

"In order to further strengthen global nuclear safety, this action plan will need to be implemented in a prompt and most effective manner through concrete measures," Japan's IAEA envoy, Takeshi Nakane, told the meeting.