information about Fukushima published in English in Japanese media info publiée en anglais dans la presse japonaise
29 Décembre 2014
December 29, 2014
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201412290040
By MASAKAZU HONDA/ Staff Writer
MINAMI-SOMA, Fukushima Prefecture--The central government lifted on Dec. 28 the last recommended evacuation advisory for several districts in this city, saying radiation levels from the nuclear accident fell below the annual exposure limit.
However, many of the residents of 152 households within these districts voiced their opposition to the lifting.
The central government designated areas that registered high radiation levels outside the zones under mandatory evacuation orders as specific recommended evacuation spots following the triple meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. The residents living within these locales were encouraged to evacuate from their homes.
The districts in Minami-Soma were designated as such because they were at risk of exceeding the annual accumulated dose limit of 20 millisieverts, or 3.8 microsieverts per hour.
The central government in June 2011 issued the advisory for some locales in the cities of Minami-Soma and Date and the village of Kawauchi, all in Fukushima Prefecture, home to 281 households. The advisory for Date and Kawauchi was lifted earlier.
Central government officials explained their latest decision to the residents and local officials, saying that the health risks are not expected because radiation levels in their sites now measure well below the designated limit of 20 millisieverts.
They also presented support measures to encourage the residents to return to their homes.
However, evacuee Katsuji Sato, among the residents of the 152 households, said he would not immediately return home.
The 79-year-old, who lives in temporary housing in Minami-Soma, had lived in a family of six of four generations before the Great East Earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011, set off the nuclear disaster.
Sato’s mother died where she evacuated to, and his eldest son, the son’s wife and their elementary school child moved to Miyagi Prefecture.
“My wife and I cannot return to our home even though we want to unless decontamination work is undertaken again,” Sato said.
December 28, 2014
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/japan.html
Dec. 28, 2014 - Updated 15:48 UTC+1
Japan's government has lifted all evacuation advisories for so-called hot spots with high radiation levels in Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture.
The government lifted the house-by-house evacuation advisories on Sunday because radiation dosage levels in the area have fallen below the benchmark 20 millisieverts per year, thanks to decontamination work.
This follows similar moves in another city and a village 2 years ago in Fukushima Prefecture. All the hot-spot evacuation advisories in the prefecture have now been lifted.
With the lifting, residents of 152 households in Minamisoma city can return to their homes.
But city officials say about 80 percent of the residents will not return due to lingering radiation concerns.
79-year-old Katsuji Sato said he will continue to live in temporary shelter for the time being, since the fields next to his house have not yet been decontaminated.
He said the lifting will not change his life. He said he cannot have his first-grade grandchild visit due to the high levels of radiation surrounding his house.
He said he wants the government to decontaminate the neighboring hot spots in order to create a safe residential environment.
The residents will continue to receive monthly compensation money of 100,000 yen, or about 830 dollars, from Tokyo Electric Power Company until March of next year, for the stress and suffering they have had to endure.
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