The Japanese government has indicated it may be years before residents of towns and villages close to the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor will be able to return to their homes.
Yukio Edano, Japan‘s chief cabinet secretary, warned on Friday that evacuees are not going to be able to return home in the foreseeable future.
“I know for certain that it will not be a few days or weeks before we are able to call off the evacuation on a full scale,” he said.
More than 70,000 people living inside a 12 mile evacuation zone around the Fukushima nuclear power plant have been moved to temporary shelters, and another 136,000 people living up to 18 miles away are being encouraged to leave.
In a televised address to the nation on Friday, Naoto Kan, the prime minister, said that he would do “whatever it takes to win the battle” at the nuclear power station.
“We cannot say that the plant has been sufficiently stabilised, but we are preparing for all kinds of situations,” Mr Kan said. “I am prepared for a long-term battle over the Fukushima nuclear plant and to win this battle.
Continue reading at Japanese PM admits there will be ‘long term battle’ to stabilise nuclear plant
