Japan running on only one of its 54 nuclear reactors

Another Japanese nuclear reactor has been taken off line for maintenance, leaving the country with only one of its 54 reactors operational following last year's devastating earthquake and tsunami.

The last reactor is expected to be shut down by early May, raising the possibility of power shortages across the nation as demand increases in the hot summer months.

The number six reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa complex was taken off line early today by the Tokyo Electric Power Co.

The utility also runs the plant in Fukushima, north east of Tokyo, that suffered meltdowns, explosions and radiation leaks after the March 11 quake and tsunami.

AP