Fukushima Exclusion Zone / Joban Line

[katoftw]

As of July/now, the exclusion zone around Fukushima was decreased but quite a large amount.  Any word on the Joban Line or parts of it coming back on line?

[bikkuri bahn]

The section affected by the nuclear accident, between Tomioka and Namie, is planned to reopen in FY2019. This part of the line also has considerable earthquake damage. Other sections of the closed line will open earlier.

http://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2015/20160307.pdf

[bikkuri bahn]

Test run last month between Haranomachi and Odaka Stations.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=TKq4qnwpPg4

[Sacto1985]

When the full Jōban Line opens again, does that mean they'll start running the Hitachi limited express train between Tokyo and Sendai again on this line? They could start running the E657 as it was originally intended.

[kvp]

The line runs at a 2 km distance from the reactor between Ono and Futaba. How do they plan to reopen that section within the next 2-300 years?

[katoftw]

I don't wanna go into the politics of the disaster issues.  Everyone has a different view.  But about 75% of the original exclusion zone could be safe to return.  It was a microsieverts per hour rate lower than what nuclear related workers are allowed to be exposed to.  Still a lot higher than normal everyday levels though.  Considering that have reduced the unsafe zone by 75% in the past 6 years.  It will be interesting how much more can be done in the effected areas in the next 3 years.

 

To be honest.  It is probably more the long term socioemotional effects and the stigma of the area now that will prevent people returning in big numbers.

[kvp]

And the fact that the mess is still not cleaned up or buried. The radiation thrown out during the original hydrogen explosions were mostly gone within four weeks, but small heavy particles (called hotspots) remain. These could be identified and cleaned up manually one by one. The problem is the size of the area and that the reactors are still not under a new containment building, so any storm could repollute the area. True nuclear explosions are better as that actually burn up most of the fuel.

 

It's completly safe to travel through the chernobyl exclusion zone nowdays if you stay on the decontaminated roads, but still not many people would want to do it daily. It would be safe to travel across the 2km fukushima inner zone on a newly built railway viaduct with closed windows and inactive hvac, but i wonder how many people would want to do it daily.