15 Years On: Fukushima Gov. Calls for Further Reconstruction Efforts

Fukushima, March 10 (Jiji Press)–Fukushima Governor Masao Uchibori has called for further efforts to rebuild areas affected by the March 2011 nuclear disaster in the northeastern Japan prefecture. “We must promote even stronger efforts” in fiscal 2026 to 2030, designated as the third reconstruction phase, Uchibori said in an interview with Jiji Press ahead of the 15th anniversary of the disaster on Wednesday. Uchibori noted that the prefectural government works to improve its reconstruction measures every fiscal year, based on self-assessments and feedback from prefectural residents. “We also polish our projects through discussions with related ministries and agencies,” he said. “It’s important to continue these careful efforts.” As the central government moves to maximize the use of nuclear power plants in the country, the Fukushima governor said that he has repeatedly urged the government to learn from the nuclear disaster and prioritize the safely of local residents. Regarding soil collected during decontamination work following the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, Uchibori pointed out that there are less than 20 years until the legal deadline in March 2045 for finally disposing the soil outside the prefecture. “We have not yet been presented with a specific process (for the final disposal), and residents cannot see when it will be realized,” the governor said. “We’ll take every opportunity to strongly urge the government to certainly carry it out with responsibility, while promoting public understanding (of the final disposal),” he added. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]