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Nuclear disaster minister Goshi Hosono on Saturday visited Fukushima Prefecture and said that evacuated residents who live withn three kilometers of the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant would be allowed to make brief visits home on Aug 26 and Sept 1.
Wearing a protective suit, Hosono made an inspection tour of areas within three kilometers of the nuclear power plant, NHK reported. It was his seventh visit to the prefecture in 8 weeks.
Hosono told NHK he understands the strong desire of residents to return to their homes and said the government will take all possible safety measures to make sure residents can return temporarily.
In a meeting with Fukushima Gov Yuhei Sato, Hosono said the government will set up a task force to facilitate the cleanup of radioactive substances and decontamination work.
© Japan Today
10 Comments
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smithinjapan
If it's safe enough and they take the utmost precautions, then fine, but the whole pandering to the masses simply for the sake of pandering while exposing them unnecessarily to dangers is rubbish. And I hope whatever these people want to go home and get is irradiated before they can have it back.
DJbooth
Of course, because the Jgov has stated;"there are no immediate health risks",(shame about the long term ones!). Move along, nothing to see here...
DJbooth
Nice to see Hosono was wearing a radiation suit, is he going to give the people these too, or just the standard paper face mask?
Asagao
Spot the difference. Chenobyl: nobody can enter the restricted zone(25 years later). Japan: radiation is at safe levels, so what the heck, go in there and bring out whatever items you want. You can even sell your meat. That would put Japan at a lower place than the former soviet union...
Utrack
Homes 3 km from Daiichi are Definitely HOT. They will have to be torn down from the roof to the foundation and be removed along with everything else soil, flora everything and or let that stuff sit for 25 or so years if it's too HOT. Naw hanging out around there is not conducive to your health
sojherde
Maybe, people are fearing the wrath of their ancestors if they would not welcome them in their homes at Obon. It could be that this fear is stronger than the fear getting contaminated with nuclear radiation.
uzneko
@Asago: actually the Chernobyl area is now a tourist attraction, and areas slightly father out, such as the town where most of the workers lived, has been open for years http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=chernobyl-opens-for-tourism-11-03-20
also, it should be fine for them to go in there for a brief period as long as they are wearing protection and don't mind finding any living things they left behind long dead....
Asagao
Actually, you are wrong. The Zone of Alienation(30km) is still closed as it has been for 25 years. The tours you are talking about are "special tour". Anybody entering the zone will either end up in prison, of very sick. Of course, some workers will be required to enter to put the new 1.2 billion dollar new roof on it, as it is at high risk of collapsing and sending radiation across Europe(again).
warnerbro
Not to worry, mates. After that terrible accident, the government has learnt a lesson. They'll not put innocent life in danger again. They'll make all visitors to the evacuation zone wear life jackets.
uzneko
@Asagao: my, you clearly did not read the 5 page article I posted a link to...