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[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Fukushima Prefecture.

After visiting Tonya no Sato, the newly opened Yamakiya area reconstruction hub business center in Kawamata Town, Date District, Fukushima Prefecture, the Prime Minister visited a special nursing home for the elderly in Iitate Village, Soma District.

After that, the Prime Minister visited a hand-made udon (wheat noodles) restaurant in Iitate Village that reopened, and then visited a café in Kawauchi Village, Futaba District.

In his congratulatory address at Tonya no Sato, the Prime Minister said,

“Today, Tonya no Sato has opened in the reconstruction hub of the Yamakiya area. I would like to offer my sincere congratulations and express my heartfelt respect for the tireless efforts of all those involved.

Six years and three months have now passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake and nuclear accident. At the end of March, the evacuation orders were lifted in Yamakiya as well. Reconstruction is moving forward step by step.

At Tonya no Sato, there is a well-known shop specializing in shamo chicken products, a specialty of Kawamata, and a supermarket stocked with fresh foods and daily goods. There is also a space that can be used for various types of events.

I have been told that the origin of the place name Tonya (which means “wholesaler” in Japanese) is that this was a key transport area on an old provincial border, and many people and things gathered here.

Even if not all their neighbors have returned since evacuating, those who once lived in the area will see friends if they come here. And as Yamakiya becomes animated, many more of their friends will return. I hope that people will gather at Tonya no Sato, just as its name implies, and it will become a driving force for reconstruction.

We will strongly accelerate reconstruction with all of you. I would like to end my congratulatory remarks by pledging this.”

After the visit, the Prime Minister said,

“I believe that the hope of all the people in the disaster-affected areas is that results are thoroughly produced, toward achieving reconstruction as soon as possible. Since my administration retook the reins of government, we have broken through vertical segmentation and thoroughly focused on the frontlines.

This is my 16th visit to Fukushima. The Government has listened to the views of the people in the affected areas and responded to each of their needs.

A new business center has opened today in the Yamakiya area in Kawamata Town. I have heard from the local people that this will make shopping much more convenient, and that they would like to further reconstruction with the new center serving as a hub.

At the special nursing home for the elderly in Iitate Village, I heard that although there have been great efforts in the area there is also a lack of staff, and if they had more staff they could have more people enter the facility.

We will raise the amount of preparation fund for employment to make it easier to find and perform nursing care work in this area. Further, the Government will provide thorough support to nursing care facilities throughout Japan that are cooperating by dispatching staff.

In Iitate Village, I was told that an udon restaurant, whose owner returned home very quickly, is extremely busy.

And here in Kawauchi Village, I heard that a person who started a factory to manufacture phosphorescent tiles also opened a Thai café, and that the menu there, using local vegetables, is very popular.

Above all, I felt that the passion of the local people to somehow improve their regions and hometowns is the energy that propels the reconstruction. The Government will accelerate the reconstruction while thoroughly supporting all of these local people.

While continuing to visit the disaster-affected areas, I will listen to everyone’s voices and further advance reconstruction. I am resolved that by doing so, we will live up to the expectations of the people in the affected areas.

Moreover, in regard to all of the people of Japan, we will thoroughly grow the economy even further. And by having the benefits of that growth reach all of the people, we will live up to the people’s expectations and requests.”