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[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe jointly held the 18th meeting of the Reconstruction Promotion Council and the 45th meeting of the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters at the Prime Minister’s Office.

During the meeting, the dissolution of Evacuation Order Zones in Namie Town and Tomioka Town was decided, and there was discussion on the current situation and issues in the six years of reconstruction, and progress on Fukushima's reconstruction from the nuclear disaster.

Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,

“Tomorrow marks a full six years since the Great East Japan Earthquake.

As a result of the focused public investments to date, by spring of next year, in the three most-affected prefectures in Tohoku, we expect to have finished construction of over 95% of public housing for disaster-stricken households, and 90% of the transfer of homes to areas of high elevation. The value of shipments of manufactured goods as well is recovering to the level it was prior to the disaster.

In terms of infrastructure too, it is expected that the JR Joban Line will be fully operational by March 2020, and that 90% of the route between Sendai and Hachinohe on the Sanriku Coast Road will be operational by 2020.

Reconstruction is advancing steadily.

Concerning Fukushima, today we made the decision to dissolve Evacuation Order Zones in Namie Town and Tomioka Town. Excluding Okuma Town and Futaba Town, all areas in which the residents are not permitted to live and areas to which evacuation orders are ready to be lifted will be dissolved this spring. We are entering the full-scale reconstruction stage.

We have submitted a draft bill for the amendment of the Law on Special Measures for the Reconstruction and Revitalization of Fukushima to the Diet toward the future reconstruction and revitalization of Fukushima. I would like relevant ministers to exert every effort for the formulation of draft laws to ensure that people who wish to return to their hometowns can do so at an early date. At the same time, I want relevant ministers to establish a cabinet meeting on the Fukushima Innovation Coast Scheme by the summer, and work towards the realization of the scheme.

The major precondition for advancing reconstruction in Fukushima is ensuring the safety of the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. I ask that members of the national government stand on the front lines of this issue, and carry out safe and steady decommissioning and water decontamination measures.

There can be no revitalization of Japan without the reconstruction of Tohoku.

We will carry out seamless support for those affected by the disaster, further reconstruction of residences and towns, the rebuilding of livelihoods through tourism promotion and work to dispel reputational damage caused by harmful rumors, reconstruction and revitalization from the nuclear disaster, and, in particular, the fostering of human resources who can support the future of the disaster-affected regions and efforts to improve the emotional well-being of those who experienced the disaster.

All of these efforts are indispensable for the reconstruction of Tohoku.

I again instruct all ministers to share the mindset that they are each Ministers for Reconstruction, and to exert every effort from their respective positions, while paying close attention to the feelings of those affected by the disaster.”