3 A-plants, 8 coal plants OK'd by oil-pressed Japan

The Japanese government authorized the building of three new nuclear power stations to help reduce Japan's reliance on oil for most of its energy needs, the Trade Ministry said. This was the first time the government had approved new nuclear power stations since the Three Mile Island accident in the United States two years ago.

Japan, which plans to cut its dependence on oil for energy needs to 50 percent from 74 percent by the end of the decade, now has 38 nuclear power stations. Seventeen more are expected to be built by 1990.