Tokyo - A Japanese nuclear fuel company said Thursday that one of its workers was exposed to minor levels of radiation.

Global Nuclear Fuel-Japan Co said a worker at a nuclear fuel producing plant in the central Japanese city of Yokosuka had inhaled a small amount of uranium on Wednesday.

Some 8 grams of uranium scattered from a machine that produces uranium dioxide pellets, and the worker, who was in the same room, was exposed to 1.12 millisieverts of radiation.

There had been no harm to his health, the agency said.

The incident occurred because an inspection point in a pipe that supplies powder to the pressing unit was left open when the machine was activated, it said.

No radioactive material leaked outside the plant, the company said.

The Japanese trade ministry's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency issued a warning against the company because reports were filed with the agency six hours after the incident.

The company is jointly owned by General Electric Co, Toshiba Corp and Hitachi Ltd. (dpa)