Evacuees to return in 2 years?

September 4, 2012

Fukushima zones to be prepared for evacuees' return in two years

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120904x2.html 

Kyodo

The Reconstruction Agency said Tuesday it will aim to allow evacuees to return in two years to zones in Fukushima Prefecture where preparations are under way for lifting emergency off-limits orders.

The agency specified the goal in a grand plan for 12 municipalities where evacuation zones were designated due to radioactive fallout from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.

The zones have recently been reclassified into three groups — those whose evacuation orders will be immediately lifted, those where preparations will be made to lift the orders and those that will remain off-limits.

The plan calls for the central government to join with Fukushima Prefecture and the 12 municipalities to dispose of radioactive soil, develop residential areas and create new industries.

It calls for developing infrastructure and supporting evacuees to allow them to resettle in the zones in two years.

In five years, it seeks to promote industrial and farming operations to accelerate the reconstruction of these zones. In 10 or more years, the design envisages measures to be taken to recover employment levels.