Japan has called on the UN to review tests carried out to prove the safety of its nuclear reactors.

A team of ten experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today began assessing the review of the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), Japan’s nuclear watchdog.

This follows the approval of the Nuclear Safety Action Plan by all IAEA Member States in September 2011, which called for countries to check plants against extreme natural hazards.

Japan has closed 49 of its 54 nuclear reactors, since the disaster at Fukushima last year.

NISA completed the review and said the remaining reactors were capable of withstanding a severe shock similar to the 9.0 earthquake and tsunami that ruined the Fukushima plant.

Japan hopes the review will help reassure the public that it is safe to restart atomic operations.

However, James Lyons, Director of the Nuclear Installation Safety at NISA said: “We will not be focusing on whether or not it is acceptable to restart any of the plants. This is totally a responsibility of the Japanese government and we would not make any determination in that area.”

The IAEA team will be conducting the assessment till 31 January.