The IAEA has been closely following the situation at Japan′s Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant following a powerful earthquake that occurred in the area on 16 July. Preliminary data indicates that the earthquake may have exceeded the seismic design assumptions for the plant. The Agency believes a thorough investigation of the impact of the earthquake on the plant and full transparency in such investigations is required. To this end, the IAEA expressed its readiness to assist Japan and is offering to send an international expert team to join Japan in assessing the event and its consequences.