Japan minister: two Futaba districts may see evacuation orders lifted by December
In short
Reconstruction Minister Hosono said on October 6 that the government will work with relevant ministries so that evacuation orders can be lifted in two districts of Futaba town, Fukushima Prefecture, possibly within December. The districts are part of the state-decontaminated “specified return residence zones” inside the difficult-to-return zones left by the Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. Futaba town said last year it aims to lift orders in three districts within fiscal 2026, which would be a first for such zones in the prefecture.
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Reconstruction Minister Hosono said on October 6 that the government will work with relevant ministries so that evacuation orders can be lifted in two districts of Futaba town, Fukushima Prefecture, possibly within December, according to Nishi-Nippon Shimbun and Sankei Shimbun. Tokyo Shimbun carried a report with the same headline on the minister’s plan to coordinate with the relevant ministries, but its article text was not available. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Speaking at a press conference, Hosono said the local decision was “very important”, adding that “residents waiting to return must absolutely be respected”, the two reports said. [ 1 , 3 ]
The two districts are part of the “specified return residence zones”, a category inside the difficult-to-return zones that remain in Fukushima Prefecture because of the Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. In those zones the state carries out decontamination of the living areas of residents who wish to return, the reports said. [ 1 , 3 ]
Futaba town said last year that it aims to lift evacuation orders in three districts within fiscal 2026, according to the reports. If that happens, it would be the first time an evacuation order has been lifted in the specified return residence zones established in six municipalities in the prefecture. For the remaining district, the town has set a target of lifting the order by the end of March next year. [ 1 , 3 ]
The reports do not name the two districts, give no number of residents affected or registered to return, and do not state whether or when the December lifting is finally decided. They also give no detail on the progress of decontamination in the districts. [ 1 , 3 ]
Why it matters
If the orders are lifted, it would be the first time a specified return residence zone in Fukushima Prefecture has been reopened, setting a precedent for the other municipalities that host such zones. The minister frames the move as a response to residents who want to return, but the reports do not say how many people are affected or how far decontamination has advanced. The coverage comes from national outlets, and the practical effect on residents is not described.
Key facts
- Reconstruction Minister Hosono said on October 6 that the government will coordinate with relevant ministries to lift evacuation orders in the difficult-to-return zones. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Hosono said the aim is to enable the lifting of evacuation orders in two districts of Futaba town possibly within December. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The two districts are part of the “specified return residence zones”, where the state decontaminates the living areas of residents who wish to return. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The difficult-to-return zones remain in Fukushima Prefecture because of the Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Futaba town said last year it aims to lift evacuation orders in three districts within fiscal 2026. [ 1 , 3 ]
- If the orders are lifted, it would be the first such case in the specified return residence zones set in six municipalities in the prefecture. [ 1 , 3 ]
- For the remaining district, the town targets lifting the order by the end of March next year. [ 1 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Reconstruction Minister Hosono said on October 6 that the government will work with relevant ministries to lift evacuation orders in the difficult-to-return zones. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Hosono said the government aims to enable evacuation orders to be lifted in two districts of Futaba town possibly within December. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Hosono said at a press conference that the local decision was “very important” and that residents waiting to return “must absolutely be respected”. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Futaba town said last year that it aims to lift evacuation orders in three districts within fiscal 2026, with the remaining district targeted by the end of March next year. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Which two of the three Futaba town districts are targeted for a December lifting of the evacuation order. The documents refer only to “two districts” in Futaba town and do not name them.
- Whether the evacuation orders will actually be lifted in December. The minister is reported as aiming for a lifting “within December” at the earliest; no decision or final date is stated.
- How many residents are covered by the planned lifting and how many have registered to return. No figures on residents or returnees appear in the documents.
- The status of decontamination in the two districts. The documents describe the state-run decontamination scheme but give no progress data for these districts.
- Details of the Tokyo Shimbun report beyond its headline. The document carries the same headline as the other reports, but its article text was not available and other items appeared in its feed.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Nishi-Nippon Shimbun publishes a report on Reconstruction Minister Hosono’s remarks on lifting evacuation orders in two Futaba town districts by December. [ 1 ]
- Tokyo Shimbun publishes a report with the same headline on the minister’s plan to coordinate with relevant ministries over the difficult-to-return zones. [ 2 ]
- Sankei Shimbun publishes its report on Hosono’s remarks, including the fiscal 2026 target for three districts and the March deadline for the remaining district. [ 3 ]