Local governor angry over Japanese government’s evacuation plan

The governor of the region at the vortex of Japan’s growing nuclear crisis has expressed his anger over how Tokyo officials are managing the evacuation of the area around the damaged Fukushima Daiichi power plant.

Fukushima prefecture governor Yuhei Sato has complained that Anxiety and anger felt by people have reached boiling point.

The Japanese national government has ordered the evacuation of everyone living within a 20-kilometer radius of the stricken nuclear facility, while plant workers feverishly seek to prevent the release of dangerous radioactive materials from the reactor.

It is believed that more than 200,000 people living close to the nuclear plant have been moved out of the area. Another estimated 140,000 people living between 20 and 30km of the plant were ordered yesterday not to go out from their homes.

Makeshift camps are now overcrowded, with many people, including children and the elderly sleeping rough.

Sato said that shelters that are housing evacuated people do not have sufficient food or basic necessities such as fuel and medical supplies.

We're lacking everything, he said.

In addition, the weather has turned bitterly cold with heavy snows, raising fears of the imminent survival of the evacuees.

Sato said the local people’s patience has been sorely tested.

This nuclear accident has forced people to evacuate far from their homes. I want people to understand that. I want the whole country to show understanding for those leaving the prefecture, he told public broadcaster NHK.

The worry and anger of the people of Fukushima has been pushed to the limit.

Meanwhile, Japanese media companies have also criticized Prime Minister Naoto Kan and Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) of failing their duty to provide enough information on the power facility’s problems and the inherent dangers of radiation leak.