Differentiation and Integration of Evacuees with Regard to Lifting the Evacuation Order Following the Nuclear Power Plant Accident: A Case Study of Naraha and Tomioka Towns, Futaba District, Fukushima Prefecture

Abstract

As of spring 2018, evacuation orders have been lifted from the entire area of Naraha Town and most of Tomioka, except for certain areas. While many evacuees have chosen their evacuation destinations as their permanent residences, some have returned to their former towns. This paper examines the factors involved in the “differentiation” and “integration” of Naraha and Tomioka residents before and after the disaster and the various forms they assume, based on the results of questionnaire surveys conducted in 2012 and 2015 as well as interviews conducted on a continuing basis since the disaster. In this process, it has become apparent that a split exists between Naraha, whose residents are moving toward “integration” with the lifting of the evacuation order, and Tomioka, whose residents are progressing toward “differentiation.”