Six Years Later-Fukushima Now, Steadily Making Progress Toward A
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Situation of evacuation areas Iitate Village Lifted on July 12, Kawamata 2016 Town Minamisoma City Katsurao Village Fukushima Daiichi Namie Town Nuclear Lifted on Power June 12, Futaba Station 2016 Town Tamura City Okuma Town Kawauchi Tomioka Village Town Lifted on June 14, Naraha Fukushima Town 2016 Daini Nuclear Iwaki Power City Hirono Station Town Habitation Areas where Returning is Difficult Restricted Areas Preparation Areas for Lift of Evacuation Order Areas where orders were lifted in 2016 Former evacuation area Number of families returned home 2500 Tamura City Kawauchi 2000 Village Naraha Town Katsurao 1500 Minamisoma Village City 1000 500 0 August December April October March July December 2014 2014 2015 2015 2016 2016 2016 The evacuation order for areas near 65% since November 2011. The by obtaining support from national Six Years Later: the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear air dose rate at various places in and local governments, and the day- Power Station is being lifted in phases. Fukushima Prefecture as of July 2016 to-day lives of the residents and the What kinds of activities are taking place is about the same level as that in major atmosphere of the towns are gradually in areas following the lifting of evacuation cities abroad, for example Seoul, returning to normal. Singapore and Berlin. National Route 6 and the Joban orders? Fukushima Now, Expressway were reopened in We focused on a town that is moving Movement toward September 2014 and March 2015 toward reconstruction and the people reconstruction is gaining respectively. Furthermore, a project living there. momentum to create a new industrial base Steadily making progress toward In line with these decreased levels, the in the affected area is beginning. t has been nearly six years since the size of the evacuation area originally set Reconstruction is gaining momentum in I accident at the Fukushima Daiichi after the nuclear power station accident Fukushima. Nuclear Power Station caused by the has been decreasing every year. While Beginning on the next page, we will Great East Japan Earthquake. Due to about 88,000 people had been ordered introduce the passionate dedication a brighter future of companies and people who have the effects of natural decay and thanks to evacuate during the peak period, the to decontamination efforts, the average number had decreased to 57,000 as of been keeping Fukushima running, and air dose rate within an 80km-radius November 2016. In former evacuation governmental initiatives that help to turn of the power station as of September areas, in addition to the residents who such dedication into reality. 2015 had decreased by approximately have returned to the region, companies are also trying to start new businesses 04 METI Journal Fukushima Now, Steadily making progress toward a brighter future METI Journal 05 Emergency exit sign using Luna Ware With its semi-permanent light storing establishing mechanisms like a support shop. While the shop has created a ability, it is expected to be useful during system is the government’s job, the mechanism which allows money to flow disasters, and it is already utilized as power of the private sector is also into the disaster-stricken area, it also Kawauchi emergency exit lights and for other essential in generating employment provides an opportunity for guests from Village uses. and invigorating the village. We hope outside the prefecture to enjoy local After winning the Monodzukuri Nippon to brighten up the village even more, food. “We also have plans to use this Grand Award, Mr. Iwamoto was looking and we believe it is our duty.” He place as a training facility for baristas,” for a construction site for a Luna Ware accomplished this last year by opening explains Mr. Iwamoto. If that happens, it production plant. Government staff a branch of a major Thai coffee shop will be necessary to do a training course introduced Kawauchi Village to him as chain. in Kawauchi Village in order to open a place which provides construction a Café Amazon store in Japan, which subsidies. He immediately visited the A relaxing spot in Kawauchi means that more and more people will village and met the friendly, energetic Village come to Kawauchi Village as the chain staff working in the village office. “It was Along the national highway there is a expands in Japan. “Kawauchi Village is quite different from what I had imagined row of traditional houses and buildings already my second hometown. I fly to a disaster-stricken area would be that has been accentuated by a new, different places in Japan and abroad for like,” says Mr. Iwamoto. Right from the modern building since November 2016. work, but wherever I am, I am always beginning, he felt a connection between This impressive building with an exterior thinking about what I can do for the Luna Ware, which shows its true design using wood from Fukushima reconstruction of the area,” says Mr. value during a disaster, and Kawauchi Prefecture and a sign made with Luna Iwamoto. Village, a disaster-affected area, and Ware, is Japan’s first branch of Café The current situation and future fate of he decided to construct the plant there Amazon, a coffee shop chain with the village rely on the efforts of people after just one visit. The plant began about 1,500 stores in Thailand. Mr. dedicated to saving their “second operations two years later. “While the Iwamoto developed a close relationship home”. support system in the disaster-stricken with the Thai community when he was area including Kawauchi is attractive a board member of the Junior Chamber for a company wishing to construct a International Japan, and decided to Yasunori Iwamoto plant, our main motivation is the fact open the shop himself. “Because this CEO, that our business will be of some help is the only store in Japan now, many Codomo Energy Co., Ltd. in the reconstruction of the area,” says customers come here from outside the Mr. Iwamoto. prefecture, not just local residents,” he In fact, the Codomo Energy plant says. The store offers authentic Thai employs seven staff members from the coffee, a lunch menu using ingredients CLICK! ●Codomo Energy Co., Ltd. Luna Ware, which glows in the dark, is area, also supporting the reconstruction produced in Fukushima Prefecture, by providing employment. “While and desserts from a local sweets CLICK! ●Café Amazon (in Japanese) becoming a symbol of the reconstruction of the village. order. “Fields were falling into ruin. Non- The passionate dedication of residents is is residents of dedication passionate The bolstering the reconstruction of village. Capitalizing on the high level of native weeds were growing to eye-level height. My feelings were beyond sorrow or anger, nearly reaching despair, and I t one time, 100% of Kawauchi CEO of the company, expressing The evacuation order was interest to call public attention to was at a loss as to how I could survive A Village was designated as an his determination, said “Luna Ware from then on,” he recalls. However, lifted for the entire area of evacuation area. However, the order is helpful during a disaster, and we the year after the disaster, with a love was rescinded in phases as the would like to make it a symbol of the Kawauchi Village Kawauchi Village on June and sense of responsibility for the reconstruction progressed. However, reconstruction by sending Luna Ware 14, 2016. Let’s focus in on land where he was born and raised, even though the evacuation order has product shipments out from Kawauchi hile there are companies like originally imagined, and is a strong he established Ryokuju Co., Ltd., an the kinds of reconstruction entirely lifted, only about 70% of the Village.” Codomo Energy, which infuses source of support for the reconstruction W organization engaged mainly in the former residents have returned to the Luna Ware, developed by Codomo the village with a new atmosphere, of the agriculture and forestry industries activities that are taking place agriculture and forestry businesses in village. It will take a little more time until Energy, which employs the traditional there are also local people continuously of the village. in the village, including the Kawauchi Village. The organization took the village is back to its former self. technique of Arita Ware ceramics, engaged in a variety of efforts. Mr. its first step towards reconstruction reestablishment of factories On the other hand, there are is a luminous ceramic material that Shuichi Kawahara, who was born and Bringing Kawauchi Village to starting with decontamination activity. companies coming from other regions radiates light that is stored from raised in Kawauchi Village, quit his the forefront as a production and the regeneration of arable It was about two years later that the and selecting Kawauchi Village as their sunlight, fluorescent lights, etc. They position as an association staff member area land, and where the residents cultivation of Japanese gentian was new business base. Codomo Energy were the first company in the world and started a new business about Nowadays, Mr. Kawahara is applying commissioned as a verification project are focusing their efforts. Co., Ltd. is one of those companies. to commercialize such products in six months after the disaster, with the himself to the reconstruction of by the prefectural government. Now, It launched the operation of its station the form of ceramics, and it won the dream of leaving the land clean—even if agriculture and forestry in Kawauchi a long-awaited business, directly in Kawauchi in June 2014. It produces Monodzukuri Nippon Grand Award only a small area around the area where Village, but he says he was lost for engaging in agriculture and forestry, has Luna Ware, which is a new, glow-in- grand prize in 2012.