福島の住民帰還 人口減に備える地域再生策を

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Plans to revive areas hit by N-disaster must cover population decline problem
福島の住民帰還　人口減に備える地域再生策を

Even though five years have passed since the disaster at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant occurred, nearly 100,000 people from Fukushima Prefecture continue to live as evacuees both in and outside the prefecture.
　東京電力福島第一原子力発電所の事故から５年を経た今も、１０万人近くの福島県民が県内外で避難生活を続けている。

The government plans to lift by March 2017 the evacuation orders for areas where residence is restricted — excluding those that are designated as difficult-to-return zones because of extremely high levels of radiation — as well as areas where preparations are being made for the lifting of evacuation orders.
　政府は、放射線量が極めて高い帰還困難区域以外の居住制限区域と避難指示解除準備区域について、２０１７年３月までの解除を目指す方針だ。

How the blueprints for regional rejuvenation should be drawn up with evacuees’ return home in mind is a major challenge facing the municipalities concerned.
　避難住民の帰還を見据え、いかに地域再生への青写真を描くか。各自治体の重い課題である。

One headache in this regard is that lifting the evacuation orders will not necessarily lead to the return of evacuees. In the case of Naraha, from which the entire population was evacuated, only 6 percent of the town’s former residents have returned their home bases since the orders were lifted last September.
　難しいのは、避難指示の解除が必ずしも住民の帰還につながらない点だ。自治体ぐるみで移転した楢葉町では、昨年９月に解除されたものの、町に生活の拠点を戻した人は６％に過ぎない。

According to a survey of the residents’ opinions conducted in January by the Reconstruction Agency and other entities, those who said they would resume living in the town totaled slightly more than 50 percent of respondents, including those who have already returned.
　復興庁などが１月に実施した住民意向調査によると、既に町に戻った人を含め、今後の帰還に前向きな回答をした町民は、５０％余りにとどまっている。

In regard to the towns of Futaba and Okuma, most of which are in difficult-to-return zones where the prospects for lifting the evacuation orders are not in sight, only around 10 percent of respondents expressed intentions to return. Those who answered “not returning” accounted for 50 percent to 60 percent.
　解除時期が見通せない帰還困難区域が大半を占める双葉、大熊両町では、帰還する意思のある人は１割程度だ。「戻らない」が５～６割を占めている。

Population declines in every municipality will be unavoidable even after the evacuation orders are lifted.
　各自治体とも、避難指示解除後も人口減は避けられない。

The percentage of those who want to return is higher among elderly people. First of all, preparations to resume operations at core hospitals must be accelerated. Four of these hospitals located in Futaba county, comprising Naraha and seven other municipalities, have had their operations suspended.
　帰還の意向は、高齢者ほど強い。まずは、拠点病院の整備を急ぎたい。楢葉町など８町村で構成される双葉郡内にあった四つの拠点病院は、休止したままだ。

Wider cooperation crucial

It is also essential to improve public transportation systems, which are needed for hospital visits and shopping.
　通院や買い物の足となる公共交通機関の整備も欠かせない。

Service continues to be partially suspended on the JR Joban Line. Bus services remain suspended on many regular routes in disaster-affected areas. It will also be necessary to restructure the traffic network connecting municipalities around the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant with other cities in the prefecture, including Fukushima, Koriyama and Iwaki.
　ＪＲ常磐線は一部区間で不通が続く。運休したままの路線バスも多い。第一原発周辺の自治体と福島、郡山、いわき各市などを結ぶ交通ネットワークを再構築する必要もあるだろう。

If regional revival is undertaken by each municipality on an individual basis, there are limits to what can be achieved. The municipalities should push ahead with reconstructing the entire region through efforts that reach beyond the boundaries of municipalities.
　自治体ごとに地域再生に取り組んでも、やれることには限界がある。自治体の枠を超え、地域全体で復興を進めるという発想が求められるのではないか。

Many disaster-affected municipalities are aiming to establish compact towns where administrative offices and commercial, medical and welfare facilities are concentrated. It may be an idea for municipalities to cooperate in working out plans on community building.
　行政機関や商業施設、医療・福祉施設を集約したコンパクトな街づくりを目指す自治体は多い。この計画の策定を各自治体が連携して進めるのも方策の一つだ。

If functions necessary to improve residents’ livelihoods are provided through the cooperation of municipalities, their fiscal burdens will be reduced. It is also important for the national and prefectural governments to coordinate measures adequately.
　自治体間で住民生活に必要な機能を補完し合えば、財政負担は軽減されよう。政府と県が適切に調整することも大切である。

To entice younger generations to return, job opportunities must be available. Government support is needed to attract businesses to the region.
　若い世代を呼び戻すために、欠かせないのが、働き口の確保だ。企業誘致には、政府の後押しが求められる。

The envisaged “Innovation Coast” — to concentrate research facilities and corporate entities related to the decommissioning of damaged reactors along the coastal area — is expected to lead to job creation and an inflow of new residents. We want to see this innovation steadily put into place with the government taking the initiative.
　廃炉作業などに関連する研究施設や企業を沿岸部に集積する「イノベーション・コースト構想」は、雇用創出や新住民の流入につながると期待される。政府主導で着実に進めてもらいたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, March 15, 2016)