Japanese shares have plunged¹ on escalating² fears of a radiation leak at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

受福岛核电站核泄露事故的影响，日本股市大跌。

The Nikkei 225 index shed 14% to 8,281.22 points. The broader Topix index fell 12% to 740.89. Stock markets across Asia also fell.

There have been reports of a fire and explosion at the plant, raising concerns of a meltdown.

Japan was hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami³ on Friday, causing billions of dollars of damage.

The reactor⁴ was one of the hardest hit by the earthquake.

In a nationally televised statement, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said radiation has spread from four reactors⁵ of the plant.

"The level seems very high, and there is still a very high risk of more radiation coming out," Mr Kan said.

The BBC's Chris Hogg in Tokyo said that Japan's nuclear safety agency suspects the explosion may have damaged the vessel⁶ that holds the number two reactor.

That would make it a more serious incident than the two previous explosions at Fukushima that were thought just to have damaged the buildings that housed the reactors, he said.

"All focus is on the nuclear crisis," said Hideyuki Ishiguro of Okasan Securities in Tokyo.

"In the situation where the crisis appears to be worsening, foreign investors⁷, domestic fund operators, are pulling out from Japanese shares," he added.