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Government may scrap N-zone at end of August [The Yomiuri Shimbun](Yomiuri Shimbun (Tokyo, Japan) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) July 14--The emergency evacuation preparation zone between 20 and 30 kilometers from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant may be scrapped by the end of next month, it was learned Thursday. The government will soon set preconditions for eliminating the zone and start discussions with local governments, as the Step 1 phase to stably cool the plant's reactors has been generally achieved by the mid-July target in Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s timetable for bringing the troubled plant under control. People in the two sections of the emergency evacuation preparation zone have been asked by the government to make preparations to evacuate or stay indoors in the event of an emergency. Many residents in the zone already have left. The government's nuclear disaster response headquarters has been analyzing the situation around the nuclear plant to determine whether it is safe for these residents to return home, according to sources. In a document compiled by the government on procedures for rezoning evacuation areas and the return of residents, the target for scrapping the emergency evacuation preparation zone was provisionally set as "by the end of August." Three areas that must be considered before the zone is eliminated are: safety assessment of the nuclear plant, monitoring of radioactive materials and preparations for the return of residents. In assessing the plant's safety, the government will carefully consider the possibility of a hydrogen explosion or other abnormal phenomenon occurring and whether the amount of radioactive materials released from the plant is below certain levels. On monitoring radioactive materials, the government will determine on the basis of radiation readings and soil contamination surveys at schools, hospitals and other public facilities whether the daily lives of returning residents would be adversely affected. Additional measures would be taken at the request of local governments. A panel of officials from concerned government bodies will be established to deal with preparations for residents to return home. Most of the 16,000 residents of Hironomachi, Narahamachi and Kawauchimura in Fukushima Prefecture, all or parts of which are in the zone, have evacuated. About 22,000 people of Minami-Soma and Tamura, parts of which are also in the zone, also have evacuated. According to the document, a review of the 20-kilometer-radius no-entry zone and the planned evacuation zone, which includes areas between 20 and 30 kilometers and beyond from the plant, will be conducted in the Step 2 phase, during which the release of radioactive materials is expected to be significantly lower. The review includes reducing the areas targeted for the designated zones. ___ To see more of The Yomiuri Shimbun, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/. Copyright (c) 2011, The Yomiuri Shimbun Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail [email protected], or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544) |