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Fukushima evacuees being forced out of shelters by economic burden

12 Comments

The number of people in evacuation shelters situated outside Fukushima Prefecture has fallen, government figures showed on Wednesday.

Prefectural officials said the number of people living in shelters built to house those displaced by the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has fallen to below 60,000 people for three months in a row, Sankei Shimbun reported.

Many of the people leaving the shelters are believed to be returning to Fukushima Prefecture. Local authorities have speculated that the tendency may be due to the economic burden of living in shelters outside the prefecture and to the emotional stress caused by being separated from family members. The news sheds light on the continuing economic struggle of the people displaced by the disaster, say analysts.

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And TEPCO is still stuffing around with compensation payments! The majority of the displaced residents are elderly and many of them will have passed away by the time TEPCO gets their finger out and starts paying these people what they are owed. It is disgraceful to see how these displaced people are being treated and not only those in Fukushima. The tsunami victims are no better off either. A year and a half later these people are still waiting to get some compensation and back into 'real' housing.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Billions of yen have been donated for the people of Fukushima to various organizations. However, the greater part of this money has not been dispensed. Other payments have been rendered for 'cleaning' costs or tied to the purchases of electronic goods. Direct financial contributions to afflicted individuals or families do not seem to be the norm. Families wishing to leave areas of high contamination are being held hostage by organizational constraints.

Personally, I donated 10,000 yen in the hope that it would find its way into the hands of a Fukushima resident - now I know that this is likely not to be the case.

This is nothing short of a scandal.....

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The numbers are dropping probably due to death by neglect.

What a prospect ! Wait in shelters for compensation that never comes, or relocate to the hell you escaped from. Where's the Japanese equivalent of Newsnight or Panorama, exposing these Tepco crooks !

1 ( +2 / -1 )

What do they mean here by "evacuation shelter"? Are these different from temporary housing units. It says: "living in shelters built to house those displaced."

The idea with "temporary housing" slapped up after a disaster, is that it is *temporary.

Gradually declining numbers of residents is the expected and desired model.

Nothing in this article says that they aren't moving into something better. Or that they've not decided it's safe to return home, or that they've agreed to move in with family, etc..

"Japan Today" is the news source on this article, so it's hard to search back for more information.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Re-reading this it's 1) "numbers of people in shelters far from home is down" prefectural officials (Sounds good) 2) "three months straight now." Sankei Newspaper (sounds on track and good) 3) "ooh, maybe there's some terrible reason behind it," anonymous speculation (OMG!! Outrage!!)

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. Where is the red cross money sent from around the world? Red Cross needs to answer to this - as does the government!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Local authorities have speculated that the tendency may be due to the economic burden of living in shelters outside the prefecture and to the emotional stress caused by being separated from family members.

Speculated?

Why on Earth didn't anyone think to get in communication with them and find out how THEY actually felt about it?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

So called temporary housing after the 1995 Kobe earthquake lasted for nearly five years. How long will it take for people to return to their homes in Fukushima -- and are they safe from radiation?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What is this article??? Most of shelters build for nuclear disaster refugees are in Fukushima pref. I know that some people refuse to stay at those shelters cause these are located in Koriyama or Aizu Wakamatsu. These places were hit by fallout too and mostly parents with small kids decide to leave in neighboring Yamagata pref or others. Dear writers you have to be more specific on this issue. I would like to hear more about this.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I am not surprised about it. TEPCO and partly the government are doing this strategy. To minimize and escape their obligations and responsibilities to their people affected by 3-11 disaster. That's why you can read in the news the delays and compensations for the victims.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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