Extend and Pretend: Japanese Government to Permanently Return Residents in Evacuation-Ready Zone Outside 20 Kilometer-Radius

Remember the Naraha-machi mayor who wanted to re-start Fukushima II Nuclear Power Plant as soon as possible and have the final reprocessing plant in his town as the "post-nuke" plan for the town? It seems like he's getting his wish.

As soon as the national government receives plans from the municipalities on how they will re-open the public services in their towns, that will be good enough for the government to lift the designation of the "emergency evacuation-ready zone" and have all the residents back to their homes.

Never, ever mind that the area's radiation level is anywhere near safe not just for children and young mothers but for anyone.

From Yomiuri Shinbun (8/9/2011):

政府は９日、首相官邸で原子力災害対策本部（本部長・菅首相）の会合を開き、東京電力福島第一原子力発電所事故に伴う「緊急時避難準備区域」について、一括解除する方針を決定した。

The Nuclear Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters (headed by Prime Minister Kan) held a meeting on August 9 and decided to lift the "emergency evacuation-ready zone" designation all at once.

　実際の解除は対象となる自治体がまとめる復旧計画が出そろう今月下旬から９月上旬に行われる見通しだ。

It will be done when the municipalities in the designated zone submit their recovery plans, which are expected sometime between later this month and the early September.

　緊急時避難準備区域は同原発の２０キロ・メートル以遠の地域で、対象は福島県南相馬市、田村市、広野町、楢葉町、川内村の５市町村。緊急時の避難準備や子供などの自主避難を呼びかけている。同本部によると、５市町村は遅くとも９月上旬までに学校や医療機関の再開時期を明示した復旧計画を策定する。計画がそろい次第、政府は指定を解除し、住民の帰宅を実現させる。菅首相は会合で「避難も大変だが、避難から帰るのもそれ以上に大変なことがある。各省庁しっかり連携してほしい」と指示した。

The "emergency evacuation-ready zone" has been set in areas outside 20-kilometer radius from Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, and includes 5 municipalities - Minami Soma City, Tamura City, Hirono-machi, Naraha-machi, and Kawauchi-mura. The residents in the "emergency evacuation-ready zone" in these municipalities are to be ready to evacuate in a nuclear emergency, and they have been encouraged to voluntarily evacuate children. According to the Nuclear Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters, the 5 municipalities are to submit the recovery plans to the government by early September at the latest with details on when the schools and medical facilities in their municipalities will re-open. As soon as the government receives the plans, it will lift the "emergency evacuation-ready zone" designation and let the residents return. During the meeting, Prime Minister Kan instructed the ministries and agencies involved to cooperate closely to assist the residents in returning from evacuation.

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