Evacuation Order for Fukushima N-Plant Host Town Partially Lifted

Tokyo, April 10 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government's evacuation order issued eight years ago to a host town for the disaster-crippled nuclear plant in Fukushima Prefecture was partially lifted at midnight on Tuesday (3 p.m. GMT). The move marked the first step toward reconstruction for the town of Okuma following the March 2011 meltdown at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s <9501> Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant. The nuclear plant straddles the towns of Okuma and Futaba. It was the first time for any part of the two towns to see an evacuation order lifted since the nuclear accident. The reactor meltdown forced all of Okuma's some 11,500 residents to evacuate. The town government has worked on radioactive decontamination and infrastructure development to give residents options to return, according to Mayor Toshitsuna Watanabe. The evacuation order was lifted for two districts, which together make up about 38 pct of the total town area. As of the end of last month, 367 people of 138 households, or some 3.5 pct of Okuma's population, were registered as residents of the two districts. The town government aims to see the evacuation order lifted by spring 2022 for areas around East Japan Railway Co.'s <9020> Ono Station, which were once a central part of the town. The Okuma government sees 2019 as the first year when residents start returning home, planning to strengthen efforts to improve the town's living environment. Its new municipal office in Okuma is set to start operations on May 7. The town government plans to open commercial and welfare facilities in 2020 and an integrated nursery, elementary and junior high school in 2022. It is not clear how many residents will return to their old residence in Okuma. Only 20 pct of residents have returned since the evacuation order was lifted in spring 2017 for nearby areas in Fukushima--the towns of Namie, Tomioka and Kawamata and the village of Iitate. A resident questionnaire conducted by the Okuma government in January showed that only 14.3 pct said they want to return, while 55.0 pct said they have decided not to return and 28.4 pct said they have not made up their minds. END