Japan's government is postponing trials in the Tokyo area to reuse soil that was decontaminated following the 2011 nuclear accident due to complaints from residents. They would have been the first of their kind outside Fukushima Prefecture.

The trials were set to start by the end of March in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward and Tokorozawa City in neighboring Saitama Prefecture.

But Environment Ministry officials say residents complained and raised concerns at briefing sessions in December.

They say some people questioned why their neighborhood was chosen, and that others complained about a lack of information.

The mayor of Tokorozawa has also been hesitant, as the majority of a local community group opposes the plan.

Ministry officials say they will consider when to start the trials after providing thorough explanations to the residents.

Soil exposed to radioactive fallout from the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has been cleansed and stored.

The government plans to reuse it for public works projects, as long as the concentration of radioactive substances meets certain safety standards.