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On April 14, 2019, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Fukushima Prefecture.
 
Prime Minister Abe visited J-Village in Naraha Town. Afterwards, he attended the opening ceremony for the new Okuma Town Hall building. Later, he also attended a ceremony to present certificates of appreciation to work teams, which work on decommissioning and contaminated water treatment at Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, followed by a dialogue with the representatives of the teams.
 
After the conversation, the Prime Minister said,
 
“At the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, decommissioning works are progressing steadily thanks to the tremendous efforts made by the work team members on the ground. When I last visited here, I was required to completely wear protective suit, but this time, I was able to look around wearing a business suit.
 
At the same time, we are still facing many issues towards decommissioning. Going forward, the Government will take the lead on decommissioning works and contaminated water treatment. J-Village, which served as the frontline of some of the decommissioning works, will soon completely open its doors. Today, I saw many junior-high and high school students enjoy playing soccer with smiles on their faces. In March next year, the Olympic Torch Relay of the Recovery and Reconstruction Games will set off from this J-Village. At that occasion, I will visit again and with the people of Fukushima show the world the opening of the Recovery and Reconstruction Games and the progress of reconstruction in Fukushima. In addition, the Joban Line will finally resume its whole service prior to the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics Games. Efforts towards the lifting of evacuation orders along the route are currently being progressed.
 
Today, the Town Office has finally came back to the town of Okuma. I believe that we have taken one more step forward toward full-scale reconstruction in this town. We want to revitalize our community; we want to reconstruct our community – the progress of Fukushima’s reconstruction is certainly being made. Going forward, I intend to exert every effort to reconstruct community infrastructure and restore ‘nariwai’ (occupations and livelihoods that sustain people’s daily lives). There will be no reconstruction of Tohoku without the reconstruction of Fukushima, and there will be no revitalization of Japan without the reconstruction of Tohoku. We must continue to exert every effort toward the revitalization of Fukushima and the reconstruction of Tohoku, which was the starting point of the change of our administration. To that end, I am determined that we will reaffirm our fundamental position that each and every minister is a Minister for Reconstruction and exert all out efforts until the day the Government achieves the reconstruction of Fukushima and Tohoku, working as one.
 
Today, I am sharing with you what I thought from listening to all of you. I think you are aware of that. We sat in a circle, and I listened to what you have achieved and what you have thought working on these issues, and spoke of how the Government will advance its efforts.”