Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda held the 26th meeting of the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters at the Prime Minister's Office.

Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said, "Today, we have decided to revise the evacuation zones and no-entry zones of Naraha Town and other regions. The revision of the zones is the first step forward toward the return of affected people to their homes, and the efforts from now on will be important. The relevant ministries and agencies will unite their efforts in creating an environment to restore normalcy to people's lives, such as the recovery of infrastructure and decontamination, and in generating employment.
As for the works towards decommissioning, I would like to see that the measures to obtain better confidence in the power station are implemented securely, such as replacing temporary facilities with permanent facilities. In particular, I would like to ask for every measure to be taken to ensure the safety of the people working at the actual site, who are continuously engaged in harsh work, such as radiation management and measures against heat stroke.
I would also like to ask for thorough and detailed explanation on the current situation of the plant and future measures to be taken, to cope with the anxiety felt by the residents in neighboring areas.
Even after one year and four months have passed from the occurrence of the accident, many residents are still enduring difficult lives away from home as evacuees for an extended period of time. Without forgetting this reality, it is important that the national government be responsible to thoroughly accommodate the needs of disaster-stricken municipalities and people."