WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says Americans are heartbroken over the disaster in Japan and are confident the country will rebuild.
Obama wrote that message in a condolence book at the Japanese
embassy in Washington on Thursday.
He also planned to make a statement at the White House later
Thursday on Japan's nuclear crisis.
Obama spoke Wednesday night with the prime minister about steps
the U.S. is taking to keep Americans there safe - steps that exceed
what Japan is telling its own people.
The U.S. wants Americans within 50 miles of the plant to evacuate, while Japan's government set a 12-mile radius.
Emergency workers have been dousing the overheated Fukushima Dai-chi (foo-koo-SHEE'-mah dy-EE'-chee) nuclear complex with water to cool nuclear fuel rods that are threatening to spew out more radiation.