Many evacuees from Fukushima Prefecture hesitate to return to their hometowns devastated by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident due to anxiety over a lack of medical services. The number of medical institutions in the prefecture has dropped from 132 to 47 since the disaster. More than half of the pre-disaster population in Futaba District remains outside their hometowns, even though evacuation orders have been lifted in most areas.
The March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami triggered a meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, leading to widespread evacuations. Futaba District in Fukushima Prefecture, encompassing eight towns and villages and home to the plant, was entirely evacuated due to the accident in northeastern Japan.
More than half of the population living in the Futaba region before the triple disaster—earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis—continue to reside outside their hometowns. Although evacuation orders have been lifted in most parts of the region, many evacuees cite anxiety about insufficient medical services as a primary reason for their reluctance to return.
The number of medical institutions in Fukushima Prefecture has sharply declined from 132 to 47 since the disaster. This scarcity of healthcare facilities remains a significant barrier to repatriation 15 years after the event.