In a part of the difficult-to-return area in Tomioka Town, Fukushima Prefecture, where evacuation orders continue after the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, residents sleep at their homes to prepare for their return. Started on the 11th.
In Tomioka Town, an evacuation order was issued to the entire area for a while due to the nuclear accident 11 years ago, but it was lifted 5 years ago in 90% of the town's area.
In some areas of the difficult-to-return areas where evacuation orders continue, decontamination and infrastructure development are underway for the cancellation next spring, and from the 11th to prepare for the reconstruction of the lives of the residents for the return. "Preparatory accommodation" has begun.
On the 11th, the residents who were preparing for the stay from the morning had to go through the procedures at the town hall and clean up their homes.
The area covered this time is 5% of the area of the town, including a residential area near JR Yonomori Station and a row of cherry blossom trees known as cherry blossom viewing spots.
As of the 1st of this month, 2681 people from 1167 households, which is 22% of the total population, have registered their resident cards in the area where the preparatory accommodation started, but many have given up on returning to the town so far. Only about 50 households have indicated their intention to "prepare accommodation".
In Tomioka Town, even after the evacuation order was lifted in most areas, the return of residents and business establishments did not proceed, and the number of people living in the town remained at more than 10% before the earthquake, and the impact of the nuclear accident is now. Also remains strong.
Residents "The long-awaited day"
Kazuyoshi Endo (61), a resident of Tomioka Town who is aiming to return, visited his house in front of JR Yonomori Station on the morning of the 11th and was cleaning up his house for a preparatory stay.
Mr. Endo evacuated to Fukushima City after the nuclear accident, and had been living in another house in the town five years before the evacuation order for most of Tomioka Town was lifted.
However, he had a strong desire to return to the place where he was born and raised, and decided to return to his former home.
Initially, I was planning to make a preparatory stay from the 11th, but since the restoration of electricity was delayed due to the earthquake off the coast of Fukushima prefecture last month, I would like to make a preparatory stay after cleaning up my original home for about a month. thinking about.
Mr. Endo said, "I was happy that I couldn't go home for the rest of my life due to the nuclear accident 11 years ago, so I'm happy with the day I've been waiting for. When I come home, the familiar scenery spreads and calms down. I believe that someone will come back and I want to do my best here. "