ID :
200206
Tue, 08/09/2011 - 18:29
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/200206
The shortlink copeid
Gov't to lift evacuation advisory outside 20-km zone around nuke plant
TOKYO, Aug. 9 Kyodo - The Japanese government said Tuesday it will lift its advisory for residents living in areas outside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant that have been designated for evacuation in the event of an emergency.
Goshi Hosono, minister in charge of the nuclear crisis, said at a news conference that the decision was made after the government's nuclear disaster task force concluded there is a low risk of further hydrogen explosions and cooling system failures at the Fukushima plant.
It will be the first time that the government lifts one of the evacuation advisories or orders it has issued since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The decision follows the completion in mid-July of the first phase of work to bring the nuclear plant under control.
Hosono said at a news conference that ''the shift from Step 1 to Step 2 became a turning point'' for the government to review its evacuation policy.
The advisory covers five municipalities -- the town of Hirono and some districts in Naraha, Kawauchi, Tamura and Minamisoma -- where the roughly 58,500 residents were told in late April to be prepared to evacuate or remain indoors in the event of an emergency. About 25,800 people have since evacuated.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan said at the task force meeting, which was open to the press, that the government will actively deal with the next step of thoroughly decontaminating the areas to ensure that the ''residents can be at ease when returning home.''
The local governments of the five municipalities will be required to devise ''recovery plans'' in around a month. The plans would spell out the details of decontaminating the areas and rebuilding basic infrastructure to facilitate the return of residents.
After the municipalities' respective recovery plans are finalized, the task force will formally lift the evacuation advisory for all of the areas.
The government said it will also allow evacuees from areas located within 3 km of the plant to return to their homes temporarily as well as business operators to visit their offices in the areas and draw up a basic plan for decontamination, both within this month.
Hosono said evacuation orders for other areas will also be reviewed after the second phase to bring the plant under control is completed and radioactive materials are under stricter management to prevent their release from the Fukushima plant.
The second set of areas comprises the 20 km no-entry zone around the plant as well as locations outside the zone subject to evacuation due to concern about high cumulative levels of radiation exposure over a year.
Goshi Hosono, minister in charge of the nuclear crisis, said at a news conference that the decision was made after the government's nuclear disaster task force concluded there is a low risk of further hydrogen explosions and cooling system failures at the Fukushima plant.
It will be the first time that the government lifts one of the evacuation advisories or orders it has issued since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The decision follows the completion in mid-July of the first phase of work to bring the nuclear plant under control.
Hosono said at a news conference that ''the shift from Step 1 to Step 2 became a turning point'' for the government to review its evacuation policy.
The advisory covers five municipalities -- the town of Hirono and some districts in Naraha, Kawauchi, Tamura and Minamisoma -- where the roughly 58,500 residents were told in late April to be prepared to evacuate or remain indoors in the event of an emergency. About 25,800 people have since evacuated.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan said at the task force meeting, which was open to the press, that the government will actively deal with the next step of thoroughly decontaminating the areas to ensure that the ''residents can be at ease when returning home.''
The local governments of the five municipalities will be required to devise ''recovery plans'' in around a month. The plans would spell out the details of decontaminating the areas and rebuilding basic infrastructure to facilitate the return of residents.
After the municipalities' respective recovery plans are finalized, the task force will formally lift the evacuation advisory for all of the areas.
The government said it will also allow evacuees from areas located within 3 km of the plant to return to their homes temporarily as well as business operators to visit their offices in the areas and draw up a basic plan for decontamination, both within this month.
Hosono said evacuation orders for other areas will also be reviewed after the second phase to bring the plant under control is completed and radioactive materials are under stricter management to prevent their release from the Fukushima plant.
The second set of areas comprises the 20 km no-entry zone around the plant as well as locations outside the zone subject to evacuation due to concern about high cumulative levels of radiation exposure over a year.
