Kishida in Tomioka as evacuation order lifted

An evacuation order from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster was lifted in more parts of the town of Tomioka. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida paid a visit to the town in Fukushima Prefecture on Saturday.

Evacuation orders had been lifted in 2017 for large areas of the town but about 12 percent of the town remained a ‘no-go’ zone. Japan's central government then agreed with municipal authorities to lift an evacuation order. It is for an area designated as a reconstruction base, which included Tomioka’s famous cherry blossom viewing spot.

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant was damaged by the earthquake and tsunami in 2011. Its power and cooling functions were destroyed, triggering meltdowns in three of its six reactors. They spewed massive amounts of radiation that caused tens of thousands of residents to evacuate.