Anne Lauvergeon, president of Areva SA, has arrived in Japan to offer help in resolving the crisis at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, officials of the French nuclear fuel company said Wednesday.

Accompanied by five French nuclear experts, Lauvergeon's visit appears to underline France's full-fledged commitment to assist Japan, which has sought French help in tackling the crisis.

The five experts are expected to offer assistance in removing contaminated water accumulating inside nuclear reactors at the plant in northeastern Japan, a task currently considered to be of the highest importance as the water has been hindering work to bring the plant under control.

Areva is commissioned by Japanese power companies to process uranium-plutonium mixed-oxide fuel, or MOX fuel. MOX fuel used at the No. 3 reactor unit of the Fukushima Daiichi plant was supplied by Areva and was shipped from France.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy will visit Japan on Thursday for talks with Prime Minister Naoto Kan. He is expected to express France's full support for Japan as the country grapples with multiple crises triggered by the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Sarkozy will be accompanied by French ecology minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet as well as top French government officials in charge of nuclear power, the press office at the ecology ministry said.

While Sarkozy will leave Japan on Thursday, Kosciusko-Morizet will remain until Saturday to hold talks on France's assistance with her Japanese counterpart Environment Minister Ryu Matsumoto as well as other Cabinet ministers and government officials concerned.

According to Radio France, Kosciusko-Morizet may visit a quake-damaged area near Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture.

==Kyodo