A few days after alarming levels of radioactive cesium and iodine 131 were reported near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, local officials plan to decontaminate homes within 60 kilometers, NHK World News reported.

Authorities expressed concern after tests showed radioactive substances near a level compelling an evacuation. Many of the nearby residents are children and middle-aged women, who are more vulnerable to radiation.

Officials aim to lower the radiation levels in the air to safe levels in the next two years. The program involves decontaminating houses, spray-scrubbing roofs, roads and ditches and removing concrete as radioactive materials often lurk underneath.

Yukiya Amano, a Japanese director general at the International Atomic Energy Agency, told AFP it will send a team of experts to help Japan decontaminate the area near the plant.

"Japan does not have that much experience in decontamination. They have had small accidents but they have never had an accident this big, so we can provide assistance. Even though they have some ideas, we can provide confidence and credibility," he said.

Amano particularly sympathizes with Japanese who look to their leaders to address health issues.

"For many countries, for the engineers, what is going on in the reactor is the main issue of interests. But for the local people, the most important is what happens with their houses or rice fields. We need to decontaminate."

Amano said other countries are also interested in learning from Japan's experiences.