In pictures: Nuclear fuel rods are scheduled to be removed at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in Japan

The recovery of the fuel rods from No. 4 reactor unit would take around a year. The 1,533 fuel rods currently lying among rubble in the cooling pond of the reactor are considered as one of the greatest ongoing dangers at the plant, along with the leaking of contaminated water.

Click here or on 'view gallery' to see more images