TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said at a news conference on Wednesday that Japan would complete the first step of handling the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima No 1 nuclear power plant on July 19.  

Kan said Japan would strive to phase out nuclear energy, but he did not indicate when the country would finally be weaned off it.

Kan added Japan would overcome power supply shortages weighing on country this summer in the aftermath of the nuclear crisis triggered by the twin disasters in March.