Fukushima plant debris removal begins

TOKYO — A difficult operation to remove a small amount of radioactive debris from Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant began on Tuesday, after technical issues suspended an earlier attempt.

Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, said in a statement that its "pilot extraction operation" had started. It will take about two weeks, according to the company.

The tiny sample will be studied for clues about conditions inside the reactors — a crucial step toward decommissioning the Fukushima Daiichi plant.