The number of evacuees still living in prefabricated makeshift housing in the prefectures stood at 350,000 at the end of January. In the three prefectures, 3,518 people have died from causes related to the disasters, including illness and suicide, according to the local governments. Housing subsidies for so-called "voluntary evacuees," who fled the Fukushima nuclear disaster from areas other than the designated evacuation zones, will be terminated this month, increasing the financial strain on those who wish to remain outside their hometowns amid lingering concerns over radiation levels. The anniversary comes as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government and electric companies are actively seeking to restart nuclear plants shut down following the disaster. Currently, three out of 45 commercial nuclear reactors in Japan are active and more than 10 reactors have met the supposedly more stringent post-Fukushima government safety requirements.

Source: Bangkok Post March 11, 2017 07:20 UTC