避難準備区域―解除で復興に加速を

2011/08/13
--The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 12
EDITORIAL: Accelerate rebuilding in Fukushima by lifting designation
避難準備区域―解除で復興に加速を

At one time, Minami-Soma, Fukushima Prefecture, had become isolated because the distribution of goods was halted due to radiation fears from the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
　福島県南相馬市は一時、福島第一原発の事故の影響で物流が途絶えて陸の孤島と化した。

But now, a large supermarket and restaurants are operating in the Haramachi-ku area, where the municipal office is located. A library is also open.
それが今、市役所のある原町区では、大型スーパーや飲食店が営業し、図書館も開いている。

Compared with before, the city is much livelier and has recovered its calm.
　以前に比べ、街は格段に明るさと落ち着きを取り戻した。

But everyday living remains under strict constraints.
それでもなお、人々の暮らしは厳しい制約のもとにある。

Residents in the area are required to always be ready to stay indoors or evacuate to other locations in an emergency.
　住民は常に屋内退避や避難ができるよう準備し、

Children, pregnant women, people who need nursing care and hospitalized patients are asked not to enter the area.
子どもや妊婦、要介護者、入院患者はこの地区に立ち入らないよう求められている。

Day-care centers, kindergartens and schools are not allowed to open.
　保育所、幼稚園、学校は開けない。

Temporary housing units for disaster survivors cannot be built in the area, either.
被災した人たちのための仮設住宅も建てられない。

This is because the city is within a radius of 20-30 kilometers from the nuclear plant and is designated as an "emergency evacuation readiness zone" by the nuclear disaster special measures law.
　原発から半径２０～３０キロ圏内にあり、原子力災害対策特別措置法によって「緊急時避難準備区域」に指定されているからだ。

The zone comprises five municipalities, including Minami-Soma. Of the nearly 60,000 people who live there, some 25,000 are taking shelter elsewhere.
同市を含む５市町村が対象で、６万人近い住民のうち、約２万５千人が避難中である。

The nuclear disaster countermeasures headquarters of the Naoto Kan administration indicated a policy to lift the designation, possibly in early September.
　原子力災害対策本部が、同区域の設定を９月上旬にも解除する方針を示した。

First, the five municipalities will draft plans to restore living environments, and once the plans are all drawn up, the designation will be lifted.
まず、５市町村が、生活環境を復旧させる計画をつくり、出そろった時点で一括解除する。

The setting of the zone was based on distance from the nuclear plant. It was initially feared that if a nuclear reactor exploded, radioactive substances would have reached this area.
　そもそも原発からの距離で区域が決められたのは、原子炉が爆発し放射性物質が飛散してくるおそれがあったためだ。

As long as the government concluded that such danger has considerably lessened, the lifting of the designation is reasonable.
　政府として、その危険性が十分に低下したと判断した以上、解除は妥当だろう。

The concentric, regulatory zone of 20 to 30 km from the plant and levels of radioactivity do not necessarily correspond.
　２０～３０キロの同心円の規制区域と、放射線量の高さは一致しない。

It is a matter of course that the need for evacuation and decontamination should be based on levels of radioactivity, not distance from the plant.
距離ではなく、線量の高さで、避難や除染の必要性が判断されるのは当然だ。

In areas where radiation levels are low, people are starting to rebuild their lives.
　線量の低い地区では、復興へ向けて動き出している人たちがいる。

There is no longer reason to restrict such activities.
その活動を制約する理由は、もはやない。

On the other hand, many residents are anxious that when the designation is lifted, compensation and aid might be cut off prematurely.
　一方、住民の間には、設定が解除されると補償や支援が不十分なまま打ち切られるのではないかという不安がある。

As things stand, there is a big difference in compensation, depending on whether one lives within a 30-km radius or not.
　現状では、３０キロの内か外かで補償に大きな差がついている。

The government is urged to clarify that compensation and aid will continue despite the distance so that residents can recover their everyday lives.
規制の有無にかかわらず、住民が元の生活を取り戻せるよう配慮することをはっきりさせる必要がある。

If residents become divided over financial compensation, it would fetter reconstruction.
金銭的な補償をめぐり住民の意識が分断されては、復興の足かせになる。

Residents are the leading players of reconstruction.
　復興の主人公は住民たちだ。

Their attachment to their hometowns should be put to good use.
その故郷を思う気持ちを生かしたい。

Such ideas as hiring residents as temporary workers to cover the shortage of local government employees should also be incorporated in rebuilding plans.
役場の人手が足りない分は住民を臨時に雇うなどの工夫を復旧計画に組み込んでいけないだろうか。

In some municipalities, most of the residents have left.
　ほとんどの住民が避難していたり、

Other municipal governments suffered serious damage to infrastructure, such as water supply and sewage systems.
上下水道など生活基盤のダメージが大きかったりする自治体もある。

The central and prefectural governments must support those municipalities to help them rebuild.
県や国が計画づくりを支えなければならない。

As for decontamination, the government should take charge.
　除染については、国が責任をもつべきだ。