Joint Meeting of the Reconstruction Promotion Council and the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters

On March 7, 2025, Prime Minister Ishiba jointly held the 42nd meeting of the Reconstruction Promotion Council and the 65th meeting of the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters at the Prime Minister’s Office.

At the meeting, the participants engaged in discussions on the current situation of reconstruction from the nuclear disaster and other matters.

Following the discussion, the Prime Minister said:

“As it has been almost 14 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake, our Cabinet regards the reconstruction of Tohoku as well as that of Fukushima from the nuclear disaster as one of our highest-priority issues.

In addition to the medium- and long-term issues to address, such as the decommissioning of nuclear reactors and disposal of removed soil, there are different issues facing different areas on the path to reconstruction. Our efforts toward the reconstruction of Fukushima are still midway to completion.

Under these circumstances, the next five years are an extremely important period for resolving issues toward reconstruction, and it is necessary to more vigorously advance reconstruction measures than ever.

At the end of last year, I visited a Difficult-to-Return Zone in Futaba Town and saw the scars of the quake disaster and nuclear accident with my own eyes. Upon seeing overgrown vegetation and deserted houses, I once again extended my thoughts to the earnest wishes harbored by residents to return to their homes, who are still forced to evacuate.

We will do our utmost to develop Specified Living Areas for Returnees, so that we can fulfill the wishes of the people who intend to return home.

Despite all the difficulties, I am encouraged by positive examples where the long-standing evacuation order in Difficult-to-Return Zones was lifted for reconstruction, as in the recent cases of Iitate Village and Katsurao Village.

Furthermore, as in the case of Asanonenshi Co., Ltd. in Futaba Town, different people, including those who moved there as well as young men and women from the local community, are working together to create vibrancy. We will move the reconstruction of Fukushima forward and support positive initiatives that will bring vitality to local areas.

I ask the Reconstruction Agency to continue to spearhead measures as the control tower with more care and attention to the disaster-hit areas than before. ‘Without the reconstruction of Fukushima, there will be no reconstruction of Tohoku. And without the reconstruction of Tohoku, there will be no revival of Japan.’ We must never let this disaster fade away and be forgotten. With the determination that all ministers are ministers for reconstruction, I request that you further speed up reconstruction efforts.”