Reports have surfaced that the national government has decided to advocate the renovation of hospitals, schools and other facilities located within a 5-kilometer radius of nuclear power plants across the country. The primary aim is to provide a viable option for the sick and elderly to remain in the facilities in case of a nuclear meltdown, as what happened during the March 11, 2011 Fukushima disaster.
Some 12 billion yen is said to be allocated for this very purpose during a supplemental budget for fiscal year 2012. This amount will also cover costs for the supply of dosimeters to public facilities. The structures will be refitted with airtight doors and windows to prevent radioactive materials expelled by a damaged nuclear power plant from entering the buildings. On the other hand, ventilation filters will placed to remove said materials.
The disaster management guidelines of the Nuclear Regulation Authority mandates people in the 5-kilometer radius of a nuclear plant to immediately evacuate in case of a disaster. In 2011, after the 9.0 magnitude earthquake creating the tsunami that caused the Fukushima nuclear power plant meltdown, some bedridden patients of the hospital near the plant died due to the stress of the evacuation. This incident sparked the municipalities to call on the national government for assistance on the matter.