Up to 16,000 people who were evacuated after last year's disaster at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant are being allowed to return to their homes.Three towns which were designated no-go zones due to their close proximity to the facility will begin reopening this weekend.
The Government has reclassified the least contaminated areas and Kawauchi and Tamura will reopen on Sunday, with people allowed back into Minamisoma in mid-April.
"We have decided to revise the restriction bans placed on the evacuation areas," Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda announced at a nuclear disaster task force meeting.
However, many evacuees are torn between their longing to return home and radiation fears, while work to decontaminate and rebuild the devastated area continues.
Some parts of the reopened towns will remain off-limits because of high exposure levels. Read More
