Okuma, Nahara, Kawauchi: decontamination "completed"

 April 1, 2014

Decontamination completed in 3 Fukushima towns

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20140401_23.html 

Japan's government says decontamination has been completed in 2 towns and a village in Fukushima Prefecture near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The government has been decontaminating areas in 11 municipalities near the plant where residents were ordered to evacuate, except for areas where radiation levels remain too high for people to return.

Environment Minister Nobuteru Ishihara told reporters on Tuesday that the government completed the work in the towns of Okuma and Naraha and the village of Kawauchi by a deadline for the work on the same day.

The announcement came after an evacuation order was lifted for Tamura City, another of the 11, also on Tuesday. Decontamination in the city was completed last June.

The deadline for decontaminating areas in the 7 remaining municipalities has been postponed to 3 years from now at the latest, except for Futaba Town, most of which has high radiation levels.

Ishihara said the government will continue watching whether the decontamination effect is maintained in the area toward the goal of rebuilding the communities. He added that the government will also accelerate efforts to decontaminate the remaining areas as scheduled.

Apr. 1, 2014 - Updated 05:54 UTC