Railway To Resume In Devastated Northeast
An evacuation order issued for a town devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, has been partially lifted to allow for the operation of a railway along the pacific coast.
A gate installed near Yonomori Station in Tomioka Town was opened on Tuesday at 6 a.m.
The station is located about 7 kilometers from the nuclear plant. It's the last on the Joban Line to be reopened since the disaster nine years ago.
The area in red around the plant has been designated as a no-entry zone because of high radiation levels.
Years of decontamination work have led to a lifting of the evacuation order for some parts of the zone, including three local train stations.
The railway operator plans to resume service on Saturday along the entire line.
Local residents came to see the reopening, passing through the gate that has been closed for nine years. Some parts of a famous cherry blossom street have also been added to the safe area.
Mayor of Tomioka town Koichi Miyamoto said he cherished every footstep he took in the morning. He added: "I feel joy but also sorrow as I see that some buildings have been razed to the ground."
Some parts of the town remain off-limits due to high radiation levels. The latest government survey indicates that only 8 percent of the people evacuated from the town say they wish to return.
Government officials decided to cancel Wednesday's national ceremony commemorating the disaster due to the coronavirus outbreak.
