Mass Zone Liftings — Evacuation Orders Lifted for Most of Namie, Tomioka, Odaka

On March 31, 2017, the government lifted evacuation orders for most of Namie Town, parts of Tomioka Town, and the Odaka district of Minamisoma City — representing tens of thousands of former residents. The liftings were conditional on decontamination completion in residential areas; 'difficult-to-return zones' where dose rates exceeded 50 mSv/year remained closed. As of 2019, return rates in most areas averaged 10–20%, with younger families in particular reluctant to return due to lack of schools, medical facilities, and economic opportunities.