The national government, prefectures and villages have decided to lift the evacuation order on the 12th of next month for some of the difficult-to-return areas in Katsurao Village, Fukushima Prefecture, where evacuation orders have been issued due to the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. rice field.



This will be the first time that residents will be able to return in difficult-to-return areas.

In Katsurao Village, an evacuation order was issued due to the impact of the nuclear accident, and the eastern Noko district, which is 20% of the area of ​​the village, is a difficult-to-return area.



Of these, the area where there was a village along the prefectural road, which is 6%, was certified as a "specified reconstruction and regeneration base area" by the national government, and decontamination was carried out in advance with the aim of lifting the evacuation order.

Following the completion of decontamination, the government's nuclear disaster response headquarters, prefectures, and villages have been making adjustments to lift the evacuation order on the 5th of next month, but residents are worried. Therefore, we decided to cancel the evacuation order on the 12th of next month.



This will be the first time that residents will be able to return to an area that has become a difficult-to-return area.



After the evacuation order was lifted, the village positioned most of this area where agriculture was flourishing as an "agricultural regeneration zone" and worked on the development of paddy fields. It is planned to be a place for residents to interact with each other.



82 people from 30 households have registered resident cards in this area, but so far only 8 people from 4 households want to return, and how to proceed with the return of residents in the future. It will be an issue.

Katsurao Village Mayor Hiroshi Shinoki "Start, not Goal"

Regarding the fact that the schedule for canceling some evacuation orders in the Noyuki area has been decided, Hiroshi Shinoki, the village head of Katsurao Village, said, "I think that the cancellation of evacuation orders is not a goal but a start. Although there are issues such as the progress of the evacuation, I would like to proceed with future reconstruction measures while listening to the opinions of the residents. "

In addition, Deputy Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ishii, who is the head of the government's nuclear disaster field countermeasures headquarters, said, "It is the first time for us to cancel the residence in a difficult-to-return area, and we recognize that it is a big step and a meaningful step. I think that various anxieties and concerns will continue to be received from now on, so I would like the relevant ministries and agencies to work together to respond. "

Those who lived in the Noko district at the time of the nuclear accident

In response to this decision, residents are calling for continued support.



Tomijio Hanzawa, who continues to evacuate in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture, lived in the Noyuki district of Katsurao Village at the time of the nuclear accident.



Hoping to return to his village, he rebuilt his home in the village last year.



He is grooming about a hectare of rice fields while doing a "preparatory stay" where he stays and prepares for his return.



Mr. Hanzawa said, "I gave up returning immediately after the nuclear accident, but after a few years, I still wanted to return to my hometown. It was good that the specific schedule for the cancellation was decided."



On the other hand, he said, "Even if it is lifted, the residents will not return as they did before the earthquake, and agriculture will not flourish, so I hope the villages and countries will continue to support while listening to the opinions of the residents." I was talking.

Evacuation orders will be lifted in sequence even in areas other than Katsurao Village where it is difficult to return.

Evacuation orders for difficult-to-return areas are expected to be lifted in sequence from next month onwards, even outside Katsurao Village.



In Futaba Town, where the evacuation of all residents continues after the nuclear accident, we are aiming to lift the evacuation order next month around JR Futaba Station.



In Okuma Town, evacuation orders are expected to be lifted at the end of next month or early July around JR Ono Station.



In addition, Tomioka Town, Namie Town, and Iitate Village, which have difficult-to-return areas, are aiming to lift the evacuation order next spring.



The target area was certified as a "specified reconstruction and regeneration base area" and decontamination and infrastructure development were carried out. Both Futaba Town and Okuma Town were in the center of the town before the earthquake, and many residents lived there. It is a region.



More than 11 years have passed since the nuclear accident, and as life in the evacuation site has taken root, the issue is how to promote the return of residents and lead to the revitalization and reconstruction of the town's liveliness.