Japan coalition wants to end most Fukushima evacuations by 2017: draft

[TOKYO] Japan's ruling coalition will recommend lifting evacuation orders for most people forced from their homes by the Fukushima nuclear disaster within two years in a bid to speed up reconstruction, a draft proposal shows.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's party and its governing partner will also press local governments in the disaster zone to shoulder more of the reconstruction spending now being borne by central government, according to the draft seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

Thousands of Fukushima residents remain in temporary housing more than four years after a massive earthquake and tsunami triggered meltdowns, explosions and a plume of radiation into the air at Tokyo Electric Power Co's Fukushima Daiichi plant in March, 2011.

REUTERS