Tour your Fukushima Experience Current Day Fukushima
A sightseeing tour of facilities produced through the Fukushima Innovation
Framework. The tour provides an insight into
the current situation and the status of efforts made through the framework.
Tour Your Fukushima About Fukushima Innovation Tourism
Recovery and reconstruction are steadily progressing in areas such as Hamadori. New
initiatives and various projects are
also underway. Here we will introduce Fukushima Innovative Tourism, a program to learn about
the efforts being performed
and current situation in the Innovation Region. You will also learn about the connections
between these various
initiatives and the possibilities they provide. We hope you will watch the video and view
the model routes on this
website, which reveal the framework’s core facilities and help you understand the current
situation and the efforts
being made. We hope that you’ll then experience Fukushima for yourself. We’re here to
support your visit.
Tour Your Fukushima: Advanced Agriculture
Tour Your Fukushima: Advanced Agriculture
Tour Your Fukushima: Training Program
Model Routes
Fukushima Innovation Coast Framework tours involve visits to major
facilities, revealing the current situation in the region and the
framework’s efforts. The following is a list of model tours we have
held so far.
Fukushima Tourism Course: Pioneering Renewable Energy in Fukushima
Renewable energy has received increased attention in recent years. As well as
visiting power plants that use natural gas
and wind power, this tour also featured facilities making advanced efforts in this
field, such as hydrogen energy
systems and coal gas combined cycle power generation.
Day 1
10:00
Depart Fukushima Station (charter bus)
11:00 ~ 12:00
Soma City: Soma IHI Green Energy Center
▶︎Using hydrogen to create a recycling-oriented community
12:10 ~ 13:00
Soma City: Hotel Minatoya (Matsukawaura)
▶︎ Recovery Challenge Gourmet Lunch
13:10 ~ 14:40
Shinchi Town: Fukushima Natural Gas Power Plant
▶︎Visit to Fukushima Natural Gas Power Plant
15:00 ~ 17:00
Shinchi Town: Urban Design Center Shinchi
▶︎Explanation of efforts relating to knowledge about
reconstruction (University of Tokyo)
▶︎Visit to Shinchi Smart Community
Shinchi Town: Town Walk
Program Shinchi Town: Shinchi Energy Center
17:10
Shinchi Town: Hotel Grado Shinchi(Stay)
Casual gathering with local stakeholders
Day 2
8:30
Depart Hotel Grado Shinchi
8:45 ~ 9:00
Shinchi Marine Fishing Park
▶︎ Visit to a facility that utilizes thermal wastewater
9:40 ~ 10:10
Minamisoma City: Manyo-no-Sato Wind Power Plant
▶︎ Visit to wind power generation facilities that utilize
seaside wind
10:50 ~ 11:30
Namie Town: Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field
▶︎Visit to the largest hydrogen energy research field in Japan
11:45 ~ 12:30
Namie Town: Shokujidokoro Ifu (Restaurant)
▶︎Lunch featuring local cuisine
14:00 ~ 15:00
Iwaki City: Nakoso IGCC Power GK
▶︎Visit to IGCC (Integrated Coal Gas Combined Cycle) power
plants
Using hydrogen to create a recycling-oriented community
Soma City is working to develop a recycling-oriented community in
collaboration with IHI Corporation. IHI Corporation is
using government and prefectural subsidies to build power generation
facilities on city-owned land. Its installations
include solar power generation, storage batteries, hydrogen production
equipment using water electrolysis, and fuel
cells. IHI is now performing demonstration experiments using these
facilities.
Turning gas into electricity using world class levels of thermal
efficiency
The Fukushima Natural Gas Power Plant uses a gas turbine combined cycle
(GTCC) system, which incorporates a gas turbine
and steam power generation. The system enables energy obtained from fuel
to be used more effectively compared to steam
turbine only systems.
Community building requires action: a place to gather knowledge
about reconstruction
The University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, the
National Institute for Environmental Studies, and
the town of Shinchi are collaborating to operate this Urban Design
Center. Public, private, and academic organizations
amass know-how at the center, promoting the town’s future.
Urban reconstruction that co-exists with the environment
The town of Shinchi is promoting local production and local consumption
of energy, working to develop a
disaster-resistant, sustainable community. Cogeneration systems and
other methods allow the locals to use natural gas
from the Soma LNG Terminal in an effective manner. These systems,
together with solar power generation, provide heat and
electricity with a low environmental impact. Commercial complexes
surrounding Shinchi Station, including hotels and
bathing facilities, community centers, and sports facilities (futsal),
are located close to each other. These facilities
are interconnected through dedicated natural gas pipelines and heat
pipelines (cold and hot).
A town-run fishing spot located at Soma Port’s Pier 5. The park was
closed due to severe damage caused by the Tohoku
Earthquake, but reopened in April 2019. It has become a popular fishing
spot for a wide variety of fish thanks to a
system where warm water from the nearby Soma Kyodo Thermal Power Plant
flows out from under the fishing pier.
This wind farm was built by Minamisoma Sustainable Energy Corporation.
The corporation is a joint venture between
Hitachi Sustainable Energy Ltd. (Hitachi Capital Group) and four local
companies in Minamisoma City. It boasts a total
output of 9.4 MW.
7Namie Town:
Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field
The world’s largest renewable energy-based hydrogen production
facility
A hydrogen production facility in Namie Town that opened in March 2020.
The hydrogen produced here each day can supply
electricity to about 150 households (for one month) or fill about 560
fuel cell vehicles that run on hydrogen.
The world’s most advanced coal-fired power project
An Integrated Coal Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) facility under
construction in Iwaki City. The system sees coal
converted into gas. This gas is used to turn a gas turbine and generate
electricity. The waste heat from this process is
then used to turn a steam turbine to generate electricity. This system
can reduce CO2 emissions to about 85% of that
seen in conventional coal-fired power generation.
Decommissioning / Robotic Industries Course
As well as observing the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Plant, a visit was made to Fukushima Robot Test Field, a major development and
demonstration facility for robot
industry-related R&D activities.
Day 1
10:40
Depart Iwaki Station (charter bus)
11:10 ~ 12:30
Iwaki City: Wonder Farm
▶︎Introduction to initiatives
▶︎Lunch of special tomato dishes at Mori-no-Kitchen
13:10 ~ 17:15
Tomioka Town: TEPCO Decommissioning Archive Center
▶︎Visit to and explanation about Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Plant
▶︎Transfer to a charter bus
Okuma Town/Futaba Town: Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant
▶︎ Visit to decommissioning site
Tomioka Town: TEPCO Decommissioning Archive Center
▶︎ Question and answer session
17:30
Naraha/Hirono Town: J-Village (accommodation)
▶︎Visit to conference/academic meeting venue
Day 2
9:00
Depart J-Village
9:10 ~ 10:10
Naraha Town: JAEA Naraha Center for Remote Control Technology
Development (NARREC)
▶︎ Visit to a demonstration facility for remote operated robot
development
11:10 ~ 11:40
Futaba Town: The Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster
Memorial Museum
1Tomioka Town: TEPCO
Decommissioning Archive Center
Extensive information about nuclear accidents and decommissioning
This facility opened in November 2018, acting as an information sharing
facility for TEPCO. Various exhibits allow
visitors to learn about the situation at the time of the accident,
reflections and lessons learned, and the progress of
long-term decommissioning work. Exhibits include a video theater
depicting the nuclear accident and responses by the
company from the time of the earthquake onwards.
2Okuma Town/Futaba
Town: Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant
Witness the state of decommissioning work
This tour features a tour on a dedicated bus to show visitors the
primary facilities in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Plant. Visitors pass right in front of the nuclear reactor
building and are able to see the decommissioning work
through the bus windows. This facility lost power due to the massive
tsunami caused by the Tohoku Earthquake and could
not be cooled, releasing radioactive materials. About 4,000 workers are
on-site during weekdays to decommission the
plant.
3Naraha Town: JAEA
Naraha Center for Remote Control Technology Development (NARREC)
Progressing with decommissioning through development and
demonstration of remotely controlled equipment
A facility to develop and test remotely operated equipment used to
decommission the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Plant. Visitors can try a virtual reality system in the Research and
Administration Building. The system realistically
reproduces the inside of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant’s reactor
building down to the smallest detail, making it
possible to conduct worker training and review and formulate work plans.
The large-scale test building, measuring 80m
wide x 60m deep x 40m high, includes a full-scale test area for
demonstrating decommissioning operations and a component
test area for evaluating robot performance, complete with a full-scale
staircase.
4Futaba Town: The
Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum
Passing on records and lessons learned from combined disasters
Ten years have passed since the Tohoku Earthquake, and memories of the
disaster are already fading. This facility, which
opened in September 2020, aims to pass on the experiences and lessons
learned from the combined earthquake, tsunami and
nuclear disaster to future generations.
A major development and demonstration base for robots and drones
This is the world’s first major development and demonstration base for
land, sea, and air-based robots, drones, and
related technologies, allowing for research and development,
demonstration experiments, performance evaluation, and
pilot training to be conducted. Located on a massive area the size of
about ten Tokyo Domes, it includes an unmanned
aircraft area, an infrastructure inspection and disaster response area,
an underwater and water robot area, and a
development infrastructure area.
Robotics/New Energy Advanced Technologies, New Industrial Clusters Course
The Fukushima Innovation Coast Framework is a national project. It aims to build new
industrial bases to restore
industry and employment in the Hamadori region and other areas lost through the
earthquake and nuclear power plant
accident. The project also aims to create new industries and employment, and promote
exchange through R&D of
decommissioning and robotics technologies, accumulation of energy-related
industries, and revitalization of agriculture,
forestry and fisheries using advanced technologies, and human resource development.
In this tour, participants will
visit the framework’s major facilities, learning about the current status of the
region and efforts towards the project.
Day 1
10:30
Iwaki City: Meet at/depart from Iwaki Station (charter bus)
Iwaki City: Fuel Cell Bus SORA
▶︎Test-ride on Fuel Cell Bus
Iwaki City: Lunch at Genta Zushi Head Store
Iwaki City: Nagato Innovation Center,
East Japan Accounting Center Co., Ltd.
▶︎Experience operating a toy drone
Naraha Town: JAEA Naraha Center for Remote Control Technology
Development (NARREC)
▶︎Experience operating a robot
17:40
Tomioka Town: Arrive at Hojinkan Hotel
Casual gathering with local stakeholders
Day 2
8:30
Depart Hojinkan Hotel
Futaba Town: Visit the Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear
Disaster Memorial Museum
Shin Joban Kotsu Co., Ltd. introduced Tohoku’s first fuel cell bus. Made
by Toyota Motor Corporation, it is powered by
electricity generated from a chemical reaction between fuel hydrogen and
the oxygen in the air. The bus is
environmentally friendly, emitting no carbon dioxide (CO2), and is
extremely quiet.
2Iwaki City: Nagato
Innovation Center, East Japan Accounting Center Co., Ltd.
A facility where the East Japan Accounting Center, Co., Ltd. conducts
research, development, and demonstration tests of
next-generation technologies related to drones and IoT technologies. The
facility uses the former Nagato Elementary
School building in Miwa Town, Iwaki City.
3Naraha Town: JAEA
Naraha Center for Remote Control Technology Development (NARREC)
A facility to develop and test remotely operated equipment used to
decommission the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Plant. Visitors can try a virtual reality system in the Research and
Administration Building. The system realistically
reproduces the inside of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant’s reactor
building down to the smallest detail, making it
possible to conduct worker training and review and formulate work plans.
The large-scale test building, measuring 80m
wide x 60m deep x 40m high, includes a full-scale test area for
demonstrating decommissioning operations and a component
test area for evaluating robot performance, complete with a full-scale
staircase.
4Futaba Town: The
Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum
Ten years have passed since the Tohoku Earthquake, and memories of the
disaster are already fading. This facility, which
opened in September 2020, aims to pass on the experiences and lessons
learned from the combined earthquake, tsunami and
nuclear disaster to future generations.
5Soma City: Hamanoeki
Matsukawaura
This local market was built as a successor to a seafood market that was
destroyed by the tsunami following the Tohoku
earthquake. It aims to promote reconstruction. It has a sales corner for
marine products from Soma coast and local
agricultural products, processed products and souvenirs, and a cafeteria
that serves dishes featuring local ingredients.
This is the world’s first major development and demonstration base for
land, sea, and air-based robots, drones, and
related technologies, allowing for research and development,
demonstration experiments, performance evaluation, and
pilot training to be conducted. Located on a massive area the size of
about ten Tokyo Domes, it includes an unmanned
aircraft area, an infrastructure inspection and disaster response area,
an underwater and water robot area, and a
development infrastructure area.
Advanced Agriculture Course
This course featured visits to agricultural production bases that use ICT and other
technologies to revitalize
agriculture, as well as new approaches to farming that aim for recovery from the
earthquake.
Day 1
10:00
Depart Fukushima Station (charter bus)
11:00 ~ 12:00
Matsuzuka District, Iitate Village: Cattle Grazing And Flower
Hothouses
▶︎Observation of agricultural revitalization utilizing ICT-based
farming systems
1Matsuzuka District,
Iitate Village: Cattle Grazing And Flower Hothouses
Smart Agriculture Through ICT
Featured a visit to a flower farmer who grows varieties such as
lisianthus and alstroemeria in a greenhouse equipped
with a municipally-provided heat pump heating and cooling system and
dehumidification system. It also included a visit
to a Wagyu cattle breeder who uses a system that sends notifications of
changes to cattle body temperature to a
smartphone through sensors in the barn.
2Minamisoma City:
Agricultural Revitalization Research Center
Research Center for Resumption of Farming in Evacuated Areas
This facility was opened in 2016 to conduct demonstrative research and provide technical support for the resumption of farming and agricultural revitalization in 12 cities, towns, and villages that were placed under evacuation orders due to the nuclear disaster following the Tohoku Earthquake. A wide range of research is being conducted based on the intentions of returning farmers. Research includes preparatory stages for resuming farming through to issues to be addressed after resumption, involving basic research on the dynamics of radioactive materials, improving farmland soil fertility after decontamination, measures against damage by birds and animals, and demonstrative cultivation of paddy rice, field crops, vegetables, flowers, and food crops.
A large-scale facility for boosting recovery of rice production
This facility was developed by Naraha Town and is operated by Japan
Agricultural Cooperatives (JA), was completed in
April 2019. The facility handles the entire rice production process,
including drying, selecting, storing, hulling, and
bagging rice. It can store about 1,000 tons of unhulled rice brought in
by farmers in the town. Another 600 tons of
brown rice can be stored in an automatic racked cold storage truck.
Utilizing this equipment, the first brand of rice
produced in Naraha, Aiba Umai Rice, was created in October 2019.
4Hirono Town: Hirono
Shinko Kosha Domestic Tropical Fruit Hothouse
Making rare domestically produced bananas a town specialty through
growing tropical fruit in Tohoku!
Hirono Shinko Kosha has been cultivating bananas since 2018 in an effort
to create a new specialty product for the town.
The company grows cold-resistant saplings in greenhouses. Fruit is
harvested while green and ripened to yellow in a
ripening facility before shipping.
A large-scale strawberry cultivation facility which aims to allow
everyone to work in agriculture
A 100% Okuma Town-owned corporation that began hydroponic-based
strawberry cultivation in April 2019. Aiming to create a
farm where anyone can work, the corporation pursues work processes that
reduce worker burden and improve productivity,
while shipping safely produced strawberries that have undergone full
inspections for radioactive contamination.
Minori Co., Ltd.’s central industrial kitchen is scheduled to open in
the Tanoiri Industrial Park being developed in
Kawauchi Village. The company will produce cut vegetables and other
products using vegetables produced in Kawauchi.
A safe, secure, and stable plant factory sowing the seeds of
reconstruction
This is a completely enclosed plant factory where no outside air can
enter the cultivation environment. The factory
grows leaf lettuce and other plants. Photosynthesis is promoted by LEDs,
fluorescent lights and carbon dioxide (CO2).
Nutrients are provided by the culture medium.
In an effort to create employment and revitalize the area after the
evacuation order was lifted in Katsurao Village, a
group of volunteers from companies and farmers in the village came
together to begin growing phalaenopsis orchids in
January 2018. Purchased seedlings are cultivated in two 993m2
climate-controlled greenhouses for six months. They are
then shipped to around ten markets, mainly to Tohoku and the Tokyo
metropolitan area.
Reconstruction, Advanced Agriculture, and Promotion of Sixth Industrialization
Course
The Fukushima Innovation Coast Framework is a national project. It aims to build new
industrial bases to restore
industry and employment in the Hamadori region and other areas lost through the
earthquake and nuclear power plant
accident. The project also aims to create new industries and employment, and promote
exchange through R&D of
decommissioning and robotics technologies, accumulation of energy-related
industries, and revitalization of agriculture,
forestry and fisheries using advanced technologies, and human resource development.
In this tour, participants will
visit the framework’s major facilities, learning about the current status of the
region and efforts towards the project.
Day 1
8:50 ~ 9:00
Koriyama City: Meet at/depart from JR Koriyama Station (charter bus)
Katsurao Village: Ozasa Farm
▶︎Visit to a poultry farm that utilizes ICT
Tamura City: Hop Garden Brewery
▶︎Visit to a craft brewery that uses Abukuma hops grown in
Tamura City
Kawauchi Village: Soba Shubou Tenzan
(Restaurant) ▶︎Lunch of freshly made soba noodles using buckwheat
flour produced in Kawauchi Village
Kawauchi Village: Endo Mushroom Farm
▶︎Visit and experience a climate-controlled mushroom farm
Hirono Town: Café Fuu
▶︎Visit to a café run by students from the Futaba Future school
17:45
Naraha/Hirono Town: Arrive at J-Village
▶Casual gathering with local stakeholders
Day 2
8:45
Depart J-Village
Naraha Town: Naraha Sweet Potato Storage Facility
▶︎Visit to one of the world’s largest storage facilities
Okuma Town: Nexus Farm Okuma
▶︎Visit to a large-scale strawberry cultivation facility that
utilizes ICT
Okuma Town: Dining Ogawara ▶︎Lunch
Futaba Town: Visit the Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear
Disaster Memorial Museum
Namie Town: Visit to Michi-no-Eki Namie
Kawamata Town: Kawamata Polyester Medium Land Utilization Promotion
Association
▶︎Visit to a farmer who grows anthuriums using polyester media
Mr. Takahashi and his son, who moved to the area from Date City,
restored a chicken farm that had been closed down due
to the nuclear accident. The barn’s environment is controlled by
computer, and feeding and watering are automated.
Chicken manure is burned and used as fuel to heat the barn’s floor.
In August 2020, Hop Japan renovated Green Park Miyakoji in Tamura City,
reopening it as a craft beer brewery that also
cultivates hops. The brewery is developing a cycle in the town to link
primary industry to sixth industry through beer
that contains large amounts of hops.
This farm features hothouses with automated mist spraying and close
control of temperature and humidity. It grows
shiitake mushrooms with thick flesh, large caps, and large stems,
shipping them under the brand name of Hitamuki
Shiitake.
The café is located in Futaba Future School Junior and Senior High’s
community collaboration space. Run by the school’s
Society and Entrepreneurialism Club, its name, “Fuu,” (puff) is a
reference to the hope that dreams will spread out from
the café like dandelion seeds in the wind.
Naraha Town, in cooperation with Shirohato Food Corporation, opened this
facility in September 2020 to store sweet
potatoes produced using the town’s fallow farmland. These potatoes are
used in confectionery. Storage facilities include
a curing room, a process that extends the storage period using high
temperature and humidity, and a storage room that
can store up to 1,260 tons of product.
Nexus Farm Okuma is a solar-powered plant factory with a cultivation
area of approximately 2.2 ha. It produces
strawberries year-round using an environmental control system featuring
one-plant-per-pot, high-nutrient hydroponics.
The factory grows safe strawberries through GAP-based production
management and total inspection using non-destructive
radiation measurements. It has also obtained G.GAP certification.
7Futaba Town: The
Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum
Ten years have passed since the Tohoku Earthquake, and memories of the
disaster are already fading. This facility, which
opened in September 2020, aims to pass on the experiences and lessons
learned from the combined earthquake, tsunami and
nuclear disaster to future generations.
8Namie Town:
Michi-no-Eki Namie
Opened in August 2020 as a community development facility, this
Michi-no-Eki (roadside store) provides direct sales of
local fish and vegetables, a cafeteria, and meeting rooms. The grand
opening of its local product sales facility is in
March 2021. The facility will also house the Suzuki Sake Brewery, which
has currently been relocated to Nagai City,
Yamagata Prefecture, and will act as an exhibition and sales office for
Obori Soma-Yaki pottery.
9Kawamata Town:
Kawamata Polyester Medium Land Utilization Promotion Association
This association consists of 11 farmers from Kawamata Town, who grow
anthuriums, a flower with a glossy, enamel-like
texture. Anthuriums began being cultivated as part of the reconstruction
support project by Kinki University, utilizing
a spongy polyester medium and liquid fertilizer instead of soil.
Risk Management Training Course
Disasters or crises can happen at any time, but what actions should we take if they
occur? We have developed a workshop
where participants exchange opinions and come up with answers to the questions,
while sharing the experiences of
facilitators who were involved in the management of evacuation centers during the
Tohoku Earthquake.
Day 1
11:20
Depart Tomioka Station (charter bus)
11:30 ~ 13:00
Tomioka Town: Futaba Info
▶︎Briefing on training
▶︎Lecture from representative Hirayama from Futaba Info
▶︎Lunch
13:00 ~ 14:30
Tour of Tomioka Town
▶︎Tour by Secretary General Sasaki from Tomioka Plus
14:45 ~ 17:00
Tomioka Town Art and Media Center Manabinomori
▶︎Disaster prevention workshop and first day summary
17:10
Tomioka Town: Hojinkan Hotel(Stay)
▶︎Dinner meetup (with participants and local stakeholders)
Day 2
8:30
Depart Hojinkan Hotel
9:00 ~ 11:30
Tomioka Town / Naraha Town, Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant
▶︎Explanation and lecture by TEPCO employees
11:50 ~ 12:50
Tomioka Town: TEPCO Decommissioning Archive Center
▶︎Explanation of decommissioning status of Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Plant
13:10 ~ 16:15
Naraha Town: Tenbonoyado Tenjin
▶︎Lunch
▶︎Risk management workshop, presentations, and second day
summary
Providing realistic information from residents’ perspectives
An information center operated by a private organization covering eight
towns and villages in Futaba County. The center
accepts study tour groups, communicating residents’ perspectives in a
realistic manner. During this tour, Futaba Info’s
representative, Hirayama, talked about the situation and changes in
Futaba area from the time of the earthquake to the
present.
Experiencing firsthand the progress of reconstruction, which differs
from district to district
Guided by Mr. Kunihiro Sasaki, Secretary General of Tomioka Plus (a
community development organization) this bus-based
tour featured coastal areas, farmlands, and residential areas. Sasaki
explained the progress of the reconstruction as we
walked through the cherry blossom lined Yonomori district, which is
known as a famous cherry blossom viewing area.
3Tomioka Town: Art
and Media Center Manabinomori (Disaster Risk Reduction Workshop)
What action should you take? An evacuation shelter management
simulation
In the event of a major disaster, what is required and what actions
should be taken during communal life in an
evacuation center? As a town hall employee, Kunihiro Sasaki helped
manage the evacuation center in Tomioka Town where
residents of Futaba were evacuated due to the nuclear power plant
accident. Sasaki was invited as a facilitator to
conduct a disaster risk reduction workshop.
4Tomioka Town /
Naraha Town, Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant
A tour inside the reactor building where decommissioning
preparations are underway
The Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant was severely damaged by the
tsunami after the earthquake, but was able to avoid
a core meltdown accident because the external power supply and some
cooling systems were available. Preparations are
currently underway to decommission the plant. The tour began with TEPCO
employees providing an overview of the situation
at the time of the earthquake. We then visited the reactor pressure
vessel (RPV) by donning goggles, a helmet, personal
dosimeter, and blue Tyvek suit. After leaving the reactor building, a
bus tour allowed us to inspect the emergency power
supply system, which was improved through lessons learned from the
earthquake.
5Tomioka Town: TEPCO
Decommissioning Archive Center
Reflections and lessons learned from the nuclear accident by TEPCO
The archive is located about 9 km from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Plant. It was opened in November 2018 as a
place to provide facts on the accident and the current status of the
decommissioning project. A wide variety of
materials are available, helping to convey the reflections and lessons
learned, aiming to ensure the same mistakes are
not repeated.
Learning from the miracle of the Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power
Plant: How to build a risk-resistant organization
After visiting the Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant and the
Decommissioning Archive Center, the Risk Management
Workshop continued with Mr. Sasaki, Director General of Tomioka Plus, as
our facilitator. Participants were asked a
difficult question: “How would you have responded if you were the
director of the Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant?”
Avoiding a crisis at a power plant damaged by a major earthquake
requires damage to be confirmed and countermeasures
devised. But how can staff anxiety and risk be reduced, enabling them to
perform on-site checks? Actual conversations
that took place at the plant were used to consider these issues.
Course to Observe Corporate Training to Learn from the Disaster and
Reconstruction
The Fukushima Innovation Coast Framework is a national project. It aims to build new
industrial bases to restore
industry and employment in the Hamadori region and other areas lost through the
earthquake and nuclear power plant
accident. The project also aims to create new industries and employment, and promote
exchange through R&D of
decommissioning and robotics technologies, accumulation of energy-related
industries, and revitalization of agriculture,
forestry and fisheries using advanced technologies, and human resource development.
This tour features observations of
training programs that allow participants to learn about reconstruction in the
Hamadori area.
Day 1
9:00
Meet at/depart from JR Fukushima Station (charter bus)
Iitate Village: Iitate Village Exchange Center Fureaikan
▶︎Lecture by Mr. Norio Kanno, former mayor of Iitate Village
▶︎Bento lunch box from Kimagurechaya Chieko
Iitate Village Michi-no-Eki Madeikan
▶︎Visit to Fukaya Kazenoko Plaza
Visit to Fukushima Robot Test Field, Minamisoma City
Minamisoma City, Asubito Fukushima
▶︎Observe training program introduction
・Fukushima Emergency Response Training Institute
・Asubito Fukushima
Namie Town: Visit to Michi-no-Eki Namie
17:00
Namie Town: Arrive at Hotel Futabanomori
Day 2
8:30
Depart Hotel Futabanomori
Namie Town: Within Namie Town:
▶︎Visit to Ohirayama Cemetery and the Ukedo area
Futaba Town: The Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster
Memorial Museum
1Iitate Village:
Iitate Village Exchange Center Fureaikan
Lecture by Mr. Norio Kanno, former mayor of Iitate Village
Profile: Born in Iitate Village in 1946. After graduating from the
Department of Grassland Science at Obihiro University
of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Kanno worked as a dairy farmer
and also served as the part-time director of the
Iitate Village Community Center from 1989 to 1996. In October 1996, he
became the mayor of Iitate Village and served six
consecutive terms until 2020. When the entire village had to be
evacuated due to the nuclear accident following the
earthquake, Kanno proposed various measures to the government to protect
the village community and villagers’
livelihoods. His realized proposals included the continuation of
operations by businesses and senior citizens’ homes,
the implementation of residents’ patrols, and special, time-limited
accommodation. The evacuation order was lifted in
all but a few areas in March 2017. He is now working hard for the
full-scale reconstruction of Iitate Village.
Fukushima Emergency Response Training Institute
Based at the Fukushima Robot Test Field (RTF), this institute provides
not only classroom training but also practical
disaster response training through utilizing RTF’s facilities. As well
as human-based training for responding to all
forms of hazards, the institute is developing and implementing future
disaster response training that utilizes
cutting-edge technologies such as robots, ICT, and VR.
Asubito Fukushima’s training program for adults provides information on
the coastal areas of Fukushima Prefecture
affected by the earthquake and nuclear accident. It also provides
opportunities for dialog with local leaders who aspire
to reconstruct and recreate their communities. The essence of this
training is to enhance leadership skills, helping to
realize the ideal state of Japanese society and oneself through one’s
own work by deeply reflecting on these matters and
gaining a personal understanding of the extraordinary events in the
disaster area.
The town of Tomioka was forced to evacuate following the nuclear
disaster after the earthquake. This workshop is based
on the experience of local government officials who managed evacuation
centers during the disaster. It’s designed to
help people consider what is needed when living in an evacuation center
at the time of a major disaster, what their
roles are, and what actions they should take. Due to the frequency of
large-scale disasters, it is hoped that simulating
these incidents will contributing to improving awareness of crisis
management by corporate participants.
J-Village (Walking Soccer)
Running is forbidden during walking soccer, making it open to
everyone and ideal for those who don’t like to exercise.
As well as deepening participants’ senses of fulfillment and
accomplishment through pursuing a goal (victory) in a way
that transcends victory and defeat, it also fosters a sense of unity
and cohesion within organizations, as the activity
requires keeping a clear head and communicating with your team. This
is an ideal form of corporate training and
educational travel at a facility famous for soccer in Japan.
The Fukushima Innovation Coast Framework is a national project. It aims to build new
industrial bases to restore
industry and employment in the Hamadori region and other areas lost through the earthquake
and nuclear power plant
accident. The project also aims to create new industries and employment, and promote
exchange through R&D of
decommissioning and robotics technologies, accumulation of energy-related industries, and
revitalization of agriculture,
forestry and fisheries using advanced technologies, and human resource development. This
tour features observations of
training programs that allow participants to learn about reconstruction in the Hamadori
area.
Innovation Framework and Fukushima’s Reconstruction Course (1)
Katsurao Village: Arrive at Katsurao Kochoran Orchid LLC (Hope
White)
▶︎Visit to orchid cultivation facilities
12:00
Depart Katsurao Kochoran Orchid LLC (Hope White)
12:30
Kawauchi Village: Arrive at Soba Shubou Tenzan (Restaurant)
▶︎Lunch of handmade soba
13:20
Depart Soba Shubou Tenzan
14:20
Naraha Town: The national soccer training center, J-Village
▶︎Visit to an exchange center, reopened in July 2018
15:10
Depart J-Village
15:15
Naraha Town: JAEA Naraha Town: JAEA Naraha Center for Remote Control
Technology Development (NARREC)
▶︎Visit to a robot simulator and other research facilities
16:45
Depart JAEA Naraha Center for Remote Control Technology Development
(NARREC)
17:00
Hatago Inn Fukushima Hirono (accommodation)
▶︎Opinion exchange with local stakeholders involved in the
Innovation Framework
Day 2
8:00
Depart Hatago Inn Fukushima Hirono ▶︎Tomioka
Town, Yonomori District (seen from
bus) Observations of situation brought about by the earthquake
and nuclear accident National highway Route 6 (includes partially
evacuated areas)
9:00
Namie Town: Arrive at Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research
Field ▶︎Visit to a construction site of the world’s largest
hydrogen production facility
9:30
Depart Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research
Field Namie Town: Ukedo Elementary School (seen from bus)
9:45
Namie Town: Arrive at Tohoku Earthquake Cenotaph at Ohirayama
Cemetery
10:15
Depart Ohirayama Cemetery
11:00
Minamisoma City: Arrive at Fukushima Robot Test Field
Visit to a major research and development center for
land/sea/air based robots
12:00
Depart Fukushima Robot Test Field
12:40
Soma City: Matsukawaura, Takohachi
▶︎Hokkimeshi Rice set meal lunch
13:40
Depart Takohachi
13:50
Arrive at JAPEX Soma LNG Base – FGP Fukushima Natural Gas Power
Plant
▶︎Visit to a LNG receiving terminal and LNG power plant
construction site
14:50
Shinchi Town: Depart JAPEX Soma LNG Base – FGP Fukushima Natural Gas
Power Plant
15:10
Shinchi Town: Arrive at Smart Community
▶︎Visit to a reconstruction project based around locally
produced and consumed energy
16:10
Depart Smart Community Shinchi IC~＜Joban
Expressway＞~Soma IC~Soma Yamakami
IC~＜Soma・Fukushima road＞~Ryozen IC
An agricultural corporation that cultivates phalaenopsis orchids, aiming
to revitalize agriculture in Katsurao Village,
where the evacuation order has mostly been lifted. The orchids, named
“hope white,” are mainly shipped to the Tokyo
metropolitan area.
The town of Tomioka was forced to evacuate following the nuclear
disaster after the earthquake. This workshop is based
on the experience of local government officials who managed evacuation
centers during the disaster. It’s designed to
help people consider what is needed when living in an evacuation center
at the time of a major disaster, what their
roles are, and what actions they should take. Due to the frequency of
large-scale disasters, it is hoped that simulating
these incidents will contributing to improving awareness of crisis
management by corporate participants.
J-Village (Walking Soccer)
Running is forbidden during walking soccer, making it open to
everyone and ideal for those who don’t like to exercise.
As well as deepening participants’ senses of fulfillment and
accomplishment through pursuing a goal (victory) in a way
that transcends victory and defeat, it also fosters a sense of unity
and cohesion within organizations, as the activity
requires keeping a clear head and communicating with your team. This
is an ideal form of corporate training and
educational travel at a facility famous for soccer in Japan.
3Naraha Town: JAEA
Naraha Center for Remote Control Technology Development (NARREC)
A facility to develop and test remotely operated equipment used to
decommission the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Plant. Visitors can try a virtual reality system in the Research and
Administration Building.
In this district, areas where the evacuation order has been lifted and
areas where it is still partially in place are
adjacent to each other. It’s the most famous area for viewing cherry
blossoms in Hamadori. The district’s rows of cherry
trees a are symbol of Tomioka Town. Some sections of the 2.2 km-long
tree-lined road are still restricted.
5Namie Town:
Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field
This hydrogen energy system uses renewable energy and is equipped with
one of the world’s largest hydrogen production
units. The hydrogen produced is used in fuel cells installed in
prefectural facilities. Studies are also underway to
utilize the hydrogen in other situations, including at the Tokyo
Olympics and Paralympics.
Located about 300 meters from the coastline, this school was hit by a
15-meter high tsunami. All 82 children who were
still in the school building at the time were safely evacuated to Mount
Ohira, about 1.5 kilometers away. The entire
town was eventually ordered to evacuate due to the nuclear accident and
the school was closed. The decision was made to
preserve it as a building that conveys lessons from the earthquake.
7Namie Town: Tohoku
Earthquake Cenotaph at Ohirayama Cemetery
The site overlooks the Ukedo district of Namie Town, which was damaged
by the tsunami that followed the earthquake. A
cenotaph has been erected in an area of Mt. Ohira where students from
Ukedo Elementary evacuated. The memorial was
created to pray for the souls of the tsunami victims and the town’s
revival, and to convey the lessons learned to future
generations.
This is the world’s first major development and demonstration base for
land, sea, and air-based robots, drones, and
related technologies, allowing for research and development,
demonstration experiments, performance evaluation, and
pilot training to be conducted.
9Shinchi Town: JAPEX
Soma LNG Base – FGP Fukushima Natural Gas Power Plant
The Soma LNG Base began operating in 2018. It has one of the largest
liquefied natural gas storage tanks in Japan and
plays an important role in strengthening the stability of natural gas
and LNG supplies to the Tohoku area. The adjacent
Fukushima Natural Gas Power Plant began commercial operations in April
2020. It provides stable supplies of power with
low environmental impact through highly efficient power generation
facilities.
In conjunction with new town planning centered around JR Shinchi
Station, the town of Shinchi is building a natural gas
and renewable energy-based combined heat and power system. The
municipality is working to create a sustainable, disaster
resistant town that produces local energy for local consumption.
Innovation Framework and Fukushima’s Reconstruction Course (2)
▶︎Visit a company that manufactures and sells silver-plated
conductive fibers
12:50
Depart Mitsufuji Corporation’s Fukushima Plant
13:00
Kawamata Town: Arrive at Ajisen Kaedetei
▶︎Lunch featuring Kawamata Shamo chicken
13:40
Depart Ajisen Kaedetei
14:10
Iitate Village: Arrive at Kikuchiseisakusho Co.,
Ltd. ▶︎Visit to a company developing assistive robots for medical
and agricultural use
15:10
Depart Kikuchiseisakusho Co., Ltd. ▶︎Observe Minamisoma City’s
Fukushima Robot Test Field from bus windows
16:10
Minamisoma City: Arrive at Fukushima Prefectural Centre for
Environmental Creation’s Environmental Radiation Monitoring
Centre ▶︎Overview briefing of robot test field
16:50
Depart Environmental Radiation Monitoring Centre
17:00
Minamisoma City: Noka Minshuku Ichibanboshi (Farm Guest House)
(accommodation) ▶︎Opinion exchange with local stakeholders
involved in the Innovation Framework
1Naraha Town: JAEA
Naraha Center for Remote Control Technology Development (NARREC)
A facility to develop and test remotely operated equipment used to
decommission the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Plant. Visitors can try a virtual reality system in the Research and
Administration Building.
2Fukushima City:
Fukushima Medical University/Fukushima Global Medical Science Center
These two facilities were built in accordance with the Fukushima
Prefecture reconstruction plan. They will play a
leading role in supporting the recovery of Fukushima in the field of
health, as well as in communicating this vital role
to the world. The facilities aim to regenerate and revitalize local
communities by providing advanced medical care,
training medical professionals, and promoting medical-related
industries.
Founded as an obi (sash) factory for Nishijin textiles, Mitsufuji
Corporation is now developing IoT products that can
detect biometric information (such as heart rate) simply through wearing
them. This development-oriented facility is
equipped with facilities to enable joint development with research
institutions. The plant is ambitiously working to
help reconstruct Fukushima and revitalize Kawamata, which was
traditionally a town of textiles.
Kikuchiseisakusho manufactures and processes metal parts and molds. The
plant in Iitate Village continued to operate
even after the evacuation zone was established. After the earthquake,
the company began development of robotic products
such as muscle suits and drones. The company has also established
facilities in Kawauchi Village and Minamisoma City to
contribute to the development of these regions.
5Minamisoma City:
Fukushima Prefectural Centre for Environmental Creation’s Environmental
Radiation Monitoring Centre
A facility that conducts monitoring of environmental radiation and
environmental radioactivity in the vicinity of
nuclear power plants. It also serves as a base for emergency monitoring
activities in the event of a nuclear disaster.
A coworking space with simple accommodations for young entrepreneurs,
created in joint by architects and social
entrepreneurs. The project also aims to play a role in restoring the
community by producing new initiatives in
Minamisoma, which lost its former vitality due to the disaster, and
uncovering local challenges and possibilities.
7Okuma Town: Okuma
Town, Ogawara District Reconstruction Base
A central area for Okuma Town, the base aims for gradual reconstruction
by creating an environment where people can
choose to return to the town. A smart city with disaster risk reduction
prevention and community exchange capabilities.
The new town hall and public housing for reconstruction, etc. was
completed in April 2019.
8Tomioka Town: TEPCO
Decommissioning Archive Center
This facility opened in November 2018, acting as an information sharing
facility for TEPCO. Various exhibits allow
visitors to learn about the situation at the time of the accident,
reflections and lessons learned, and the progress of
long-term decommissioning work. Exhibits include a video theater
depicting the nuclear accident and responses by the
company from the time of the earthquake onwards.
Innovation Framework and Fukushima’s Reconstruction Course (3)
Tomioka Town: Tomioka Hotel(Stay) ▶︎Opinion exchange with local
stakeholders involved in the Innovation Framework
Day 2
8:50
Depart Tomioka Hotel
9:00
Tomioka Town: Arrive at Specified Waste Landfill Information Center
Reprun Fukushima, Ministry of the Environment
▶︎Visit a facility that disseminates information on the
specified waste landfill disposal business
10:10
Depart Reprun Fukushima
10:20
Tomioka Town: Arrive at TEPCO Decommissioning Archive
Center ▶︎Visit a facility used to communicate memories from the
nuclear accident and the current status of decommissioning
11:40
Tomioka Town: Depart TEPCO Decommissioning Archive Center
11:50
Tomioka Town: Arrive at SAKURA, Mega Solar Project for the
Reconstruction of Tomioka ▶︎Visit a large-scale solar power plant
run by residents
12:30
Depart SAKURA Mega Solar Project for the Reconstruction of
Tomioka ▶︎＜National Route 6 (includes partially evacuated areas)＞
13:00
Arrive at Machi Nami Marche “Kaisen Washoku Dokoro
Kurosaka” ▶︎Lunch
13:40
Depart Kaisen Washoku Dokoro Kurosaka
14:20
Arrive at Asubito Fukushima, Minamisoma City
▶︎Observations of early-stage training for Fukushima-style
entrepreneurs
15:20
Depart Asubito Fukushima
16:00
Iitate Village: Arrive at Michi-no-Eki Madeikan, Iitate Village
1Miharu Town:
Fukushima Prefectural Centre for Environmental Creation’s Commutan
Fukushima Center
A comprehensive center for monitoring, research, information collection
and dissemination, education, training, and
exchange for recovery and recreation of the environment after the
nuclear disaster. In the Commutan Fukushima exchange
building, visitors gain an up-close understanding of Fukushima, which
has experienced a radiological and nuclear
disaster, deepening their awareness of efforts to restore and recreate
the environment.
2Tamura City: Tamura
City Telework Center Terrace Ishimori
Terrace Ishimori is the first facility in Fukushima to use a closed
school as a facility for developing new businesses
and employment, learning, exchange and information dissemination.
Selected by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and
Communications as part of the Furusato Telework Promotion Project, the
center aims to be a base for business matching,
network building and regional exchange.
A composite agricultural theme park where visitors can try local foods
based around the concept of “cultivating the five
senses and experiencing agriculture and food.” The project aims to
improve the image of food produced in the prefecture,
increase the number of people interacting with each other, and create
jobs. It is also a special reconstruction zone and
a model for regional development.
4Tomioka Town:
Specified Waste Landfill Information Center Reprun Fukushima, Ministry
of the Environment
This information center on the specified waste landfill project opened
in August 2018. Information on the project’s
progress is made available to the public through exhibitions that use
augmented reality (AR) and projection mapping,
tours of the waste disposal site, hands-on monitoring experiences, and
other means.
5Tomioka Town: TEPCO
Decommissioning Archive Center
This facility opened in November 2018, acting as an information sharing
facility for TEPCO. Various exhibits allow
visitors to learn about the situation at the time of the accident,
reflections and lessons learned, and the progress of
long-term decommissioning work. Exhibits include a video theater
depicting the nuclear accident and responses by the
company from the time of the earthquake onwards.
6Tomioka Town:
SAKURA, Mega Solar Project for the Reconstruction of Tomioka
A solar power plant operated by Tomioka Fukko Energy LLC. The amount of
electricity generated by its approximately
110,000 panels is equivalent to the annual consumption of around 9,100
typical households. The project utilizes idle
farmland, which has increased due to the nuclear power accident. Partial
profits from the sale of electricity are used
to help rebuild affected areas.
Based in the Minamisoma Solar Agri-Park, this facility works to develop
young human resources who will produce new value
from Fukushima. It aims to produce social entrepreneurs who will
contribute to the reconstruction of Fukushima through
hands-on learning related to renewable energy and activities related to
the Fukushima Innovation Coast Framework.
A facility that sells local products from Iitate Village. As a point of
reconstruction for the village, it also has a
flower cultivation facility to produce products that are less
susceptible to harmful rumors, working to revitalize local
agriculture, a key local industry. In the village’s dialect, the word
madei means “with care and with all one’s heart.”
Innovation Framework and Fukushima’s Reconstruction Course (4)
1Koriyama City:
Fukushima Renewable Energy Institute, National Institute of Advanced
Industrial Science and Technology,
Japan Science
and Technology Agency
Opened in April 2014, the institute aims to create and disseminate new
technologies related to renewable energy. Its
mission is to contribute to reconstruction and become a global
innovation hub through the promotion of research and
development that is open to the world, as well as through accumulation
of new industries.
A company in Okayama Prefecture that manufactures sportswear and
medical-related products. After the earthquake, the
company established a plant in Kawauchi Village to contribute to local
reconstruction. The business provides
women-centric employment while also producing and communicating the
concept of the Kawauchi brand.
3Okuma Town: Interim
Storage Facility Information Center
An information center for communicating information on the progress of
construction and safety measures at interim
storage facilities for removed soil and other materials. It uses imagery
to introduce the history and culture of Okuma
and Futaba, where the interim storage facility is located, as well as
reconstruction efforts.
4Tomioka Town: JAEA Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS)
This facility is designed to bring together wisdom from Japan and
abroad, accelerating research and development and
producing human resources for the decommissioning of the Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The center promotes
decommissioning by producing a system that integrates R&D and human
resource development through industry, academia, and
government. It also works to form a network that allows human resources
from domestic and overseas universities,
research institutes, and industries to interact.
This organization provides daycare services for the elderly and children
with disabilities in Namie Town. It also began
cultivating flowers after the earthquake. Through product branding
complemented by a management model that allows people
to make a living from farming, the organization hopes to bring young
people, the future of the town, back to the area.
A company that manufactures admixture using coal ash generated from
coal-fired power plants in Fukushima Prefecture as a
primary raw material. It also promotes recycling of by-products from
local industries to supply civil engineering
materials for reconstruction projects and create new jobs.
This is the world’s first major development and demonstration base for
land, sea, and air-based robots, drones, and
related technologies, allowing for research and development,
demonstration experiments, performance evaluation, and
pilot training to be conducted.
Soma City is working to develop a recycling-oriented community in
collaboration with IHI Corporation. IHI Corporation is
using government and prefectural subsidies to build power generation
facilities on city-owned land. Its installations
include solar power generation, storage batteries, hydrogen production
equipment using water electrolysis, and fuel
cells. IHI is now performing demonstration experiments using these
facilities.
1Soma LNG Terminal, Soma
Site, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd.
The Soma LNG terminal, which stores and delivers liquefied natural gas
(LNG), is located at Soma Port. Liquid LNG is
delivered by ship or lorry. Regasified natural gas is then delivered through
a network of pipelines from Soma to various
locations in Tohoku, as well as to Tomakomai in Hokkaido.
LNG tank: A huge LNG tank with a diameter of approx. 90 meters, a
height of approx. 60 meters, and a capacity of 230,000
KL. The tank is used to store imported LNG. It is large enough to
hold two jumbo jets stacked on top of each other.
Ocean-going and domestic vessel berths: Piers for receiving
LNG-carrying vessels. They service two types of ships: large
ocean-going ships arriving to Japan from overseas and domestic ships
that transport cargo within Japan.
LNG tanker truck shipping facilities: Facilities for loading LNG
into LNG tanker trucks in liquid form. LNG is delivered
by car or rail in areas without gas pipelines.
Vaporizer: A facility that heats liquid LNG and converts it back
into gasified natural gas. The process uses warm
wastewater from power plants and water heated by burning natural
gas.
This facility aims to revitalize the coastal fishing industry in Fukushima
Prefecture, which was severely damaged by the
Tohoku Earthquake and the nuclear accident. It conducts a variety of
research, including raising fry born in the
prefecture before releasing them into the ocean.
– The Fish Lab is a facility for testing and researching marine life
such as spotted halibut.
– Closed-Circulation Aquarium Experiment Lab: Conducts research on
breeding fish by circulating water and other
substances in a closed environment.
– Flounder and Ayu Fry Nursery: A facility that produces and raises
flounder (1 million) and ayu (3 million) fry.
– Abalone Breeding Pond: A facility that breeds and raises millions
of abalone.
3Fukushima Agricultural
Technology Centre, Hama Research Lab
A facility to promote agriculture in the Hamadori region. The center grows
original paddy rice varieties from Fukushima,
selecting rice and wheat varieties that are easy to grow. It also performs
research on creating safe, high-quality, and
efficient production techniques and on growing vegetables and flowering
plants that are suited to the prefecture’s
climate. The Paddy Rice Characteristics Testing Facility deliberately
creates a low-temperature environment and
conditions that are prone to disease in order to test resistance when
creating new rice varieties.
A facility to promote agriculture in the Hamadori region. The center grows
original paddy rice varieties from Fukushima,
selecting rice and wheat varieties that are easy to grow. It also performs
research on creating safe, high-quality, and
efficient production techniques and on growing vegetables and flowering
plants that are suited to the prefecture’s
climate. The Paddy Rice Characteristics Testing Facility deliberately
creates a low-temperature environment and
conditions that are prone to disease in order to test resistance when
creating new rice varieties.
A town-run fishing spot located at Soma Port’s Pier 5. The park was closed
due to severe damage caused by the Tohoku
Earthquake, but reopened in April 2019. It has become a popular fishing spot
for a wide variety of fish thanks to a
system where warm water from the nearby Soma Kyodo Thermal Power Plant flows
out from under the fishing pier.
Sedette Kashima opened in April 2015 near the Minamisoma Kashima Service
Area on the Joban Expressway. It aims to
disseminate local information and revitalize the region. Sedette means “take
me there” in the dialect of the Soma
region. It can be accessed from ordinary roads, not just the Joban
Expressway, making it convenient for dining and
shopping for local products. The facility also displays objects from Soma
Nomaoi, a traditional summer event in the Soma
region.
A unique facility allowing robots to be tested in the same environments they are actually used in. The field provides land, sea, and air test environments, allowing for drones, disaster response robots, automatic driving robots, and underwater exploration robots to be tested. These drones are used to inspect bridges and tunnels, for logistics, and during disasters.
The Unmanned Aircraft Area is used for aerial drone experiments. It includes a 500-meter-long runway and an airfield surrounded by buffer nets.
The Infrastructure Inspection and Disaster Response Area is used to test robots that inspect bridges, plants, tunnels, etc., and disaster-response robots. It includes a 50-meter long tunnel and an urban area where automated driving experiments can be conducted.
The Underwater and Water Robot Area includes a facility that simulates a submerged city during a disaster and an Indoor Water Tank Test Building where robots can be operated in water.
The Development Infrastructure Area contains laboratories that are rented out to companies and universities. They feature a variety of processing and measurement equipment. A lounge is also available.
7Fukushima Agricultural
Technology Centre, Hama Agricultural Revitalization Research Center
A research center established to revitalize local agriculture in areas that
were evacuated due to the nuclear accident.
It conducts research to introduce new technologies and measures against
radioactive materials so that farmers can engage
in agriculture without concern.
This coast is one of the best areas for surfing in Fukushima Prefecture. The
reopening of the sea was postponed after
the earthquake, before finally reopening in July 2019. A competition
organized by the Japan Pro Surfing Association was
also held there.
This long-established confectionery store has developed two types of
products in a tie-up with the Fukushima Robot Test
Field: Soma Nomaoi-yaki and Robotes. One side of the packaging has a design
of equestrian warriors from Soma Nomaoi, a
local traditional event, and the other side has a drone design. The
confectionery is sold at three stores in the city,
including the Haramachi Yotsuba store.
This cafe opened in June 2018 with the aim of creating a place where anyone
can casually drop by. It is nicknamed
Omusubi (riceball), as a play on words from its initials “OMSB.” It uses
beans purchased from roasters and coffee shops
across the country to offer specialty coffee that is hand dripped one cup at
a time.
Futabaya Ryokan was one of the first traditional inns to reopen its doors in
Odaka Ward after the evacuation order was
lifted in July 2016. In order to revitalize the town of Odaka, this
traditional inn is also involved in various
community development activities such as running a local specialty goods
store and maintaining flower beds in front of
the station.
The Akutagawa Prize-winning author Miri Yu, who moved to Minamisoma in 2015,
renovated her house to open this book cafe
in 2018. After closing for renovations, it reopened in March 2020 providing
a larger space for visitors to interact with
each other.
13Fukushima Renewable Energy Institute,
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
Opened in April 2014 as a new research and development base for the National
Institute of Advanced Industrial Science
and Technology to create and disseminate new technologies related to
renewable energy. Its mission is to contribute to
reconstruction and become a global innovation hub through the promotion of
research and development that is open to the
world, as well as through accumulation of new industries.
This facility was built as a symbol of the reconstruction of Katsurao
Village, which was evacuated due to the earthquake
and the nuclear accident. It acts as a place of exchange for villagers,
where they can casually stop by for a rest or to
learn news about the village. The center features a product corner that
exhibits local items, including Nomashe, a sweet
fermented drink made from rice produced in Katsurao Village, perilla oil, a
specialty of Katsurao Village, traditional
frozen rice cakes, and knitwear products made by companies operating in the
village.
Tohoku University, together with other organizations, has established an
agricultural factory based around IT
technologies located close to the Azalea Reconstruction Community Exchange
Center. The factory aims to establish a
system for cultivating specialty crops with high functionality and high
added value. The factory has been working on
cultivating mangoes, bananas, and coffee since fiscal 2018. It harvested its
first mangoes in September 2019. In the
future, it plans to commercialize the crops it produces in cooperation with
other companies, establish a sales scheme,
then utilize them as specialty products.
This hydrogen energy system uses renewable energy and is equipped with one of the world’s largest hydrogen production units. The hydrogen produced is used in fuel cells installed in prefectural facilities. Studies are also underway to utilize the hydrogen more widely, including at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
The facility’s main source of electricity is a solar power generation system with an installed capacity of 20 MW. This electricity is also used for hydrogen production.
The white building in the back contains one of the world’s largest water electrolysis units and uses 10MW of electricity for hydrogen production. It is capable of producing around 2,000N of hydrogen per hour. The black administration building in the foreground houses the operation and monitoring system, which optimizes the facility’s overall operations and controls hydrogen production and storage.
Produced hydrogen is compressed to about 200 atmospheres and supplied to hydrogen stations by truck.
Michi-no-Eki Namie opened on the north side of Namie Town Hall in July 2020 as a core facility for exchange and information dissemination. Located at the intersection of National Route 6 and Route 114, it is expected to become a symbol of the reconstruction of Namie Town. It’s also a place for the town’s residents to gather and relax, and also plays a role in communicating the town’s attractions and other tourist information.
This organization provides daycare services for the elderly and children
with disabilities in Namie town.
It also began cultivating flowers after the earthquake. The organization is
now cultivating and branding high-quality
lisianthus and other flowers to revitalize Namie into a “city of flowers.”
By creating a new management model through
its flower cultivation, it hopes to create employment and promote the area
to young people who wish to start farming and
will be the future of the town.
19The Great East Japan Earthquake and
Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum
Fukushima Prefecture is developing the Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum as a way to convey records and memories of the disaster to people across countries and generations. The facility also communicates the prefecture’s powerful progress toward recovery and its gratitude for support received from Japan and abroad. (Opened in the summer of 2020) The museum is positioned as a base for disseminating information under the Innovation Framework. In addition to exhibitions that convey information on the earthquake, nuclear disaster, and reconstruction efforts, training programs, such as fieldwork and workshops, are also conducted.
Exhibitions at the Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Museum serve to convey materials (assets) as lessons learned, documenting the ongoing reconstruction of Fukushima, while making them available to the public, as well as to future generations.
20Okuma Analysis and Research Center,
Japan Atomic Energy Agency
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. is developing a Radioactive
Material Analysis and Research Facility to
assist in understanding the properties of radioactive waste and fuel debris
generated by the accident at Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (1F).
– Facilities Management Building: A facility consisting of
accommodation, meeting rooms, workshops, etc., that
contributes to the smooth design, construction, and operation of
Buildings 1 and 2.
– Building 1 (under construction): Facility for analysis of low and
medium dose debris, incinerator ash, and secondary
water treatment waste.
– Building 2 (detailed design) phase: A facility to analyze
high-dose radioactive materials such as fuel debris.
This center provides information on the progress of construction and safety
measures related to the interim storage
facility, which is designed to safely and intensively store removed soil and
other materials generated by
decontamination until final disposal. It uses imagery to provide detailed
information on transportation of removed soil
and other materials and the construction of the facility. It also introduces
the history and culture of the towns of
Okuma and Futaba, where the interim storage facility is located, and the
towns’ efforts toward reconstruction.
22Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced
Decommissioning Science (CLADS), Japan Atomic Energy Agency
Decommissioning TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1F),
requires wisdom from Japan and abroad to conduct
research and development on the properties of fuel debris and the situation
inside the reactor.
The International Joint Research Building is a center for research and
development and training human resources. It has
a number of laboratories outfitted with various testing equipment. Its
multipurpose test building is equipped with a
control rod blade failure test device and other equipment to help understand
the conditions inside the reactor at the
time of the 1F accident and how it melted.
On March 14, 2020, JR Joban Line resumed services between Tomioka and Namie,
including Yonomori Station, for the first
time in nine years, bringing the entire line back into service. The design
of the station building was based on motifs
from the old station building. The station’s bridge-design provides a free
passage from east to west that features large
windows. The hope is that the station will be a symbol of Tomioka Town’s
reconstruction and its future.
24Minori Co., Ltd. Central Kitchen At
Tanoiri Industrial Park
Minori Co., Ltd.’s central industrial kitchen is scheduled to open in the
Tanoiri Industrial Park being developed in
Kawauchi Village. The company will produce cut vegetables and other products
using vegetables produced in Kawauchi.
This club was established in 2016 to work on the experimental cultivation of
grapes for wine in Tomioka Town. The club
aims to form a wine industry as part of the area’s urban development.
Currently, the club has formed vineyards in the
Obama and Shimosenri districts, featuring 10 varieties of grapes being
cultivated for red and white wines. Wine from
grapes harvested in the fall of 2019 was brewed in Yamanashi. The first
Tomioka wine was completed in 2020. In April of
the same year, a sales area was opened in front of Tomioka Station.
A business hotel about a one-minute walk from Tomioka Station on the JR
Joban Line. Guests can enjoy countryside-style
cooking made with ingredients from Fukushima Prefecture.
This information center on the specified waste landfill project opened in
August 2018. Information on the project’s
progress is made available to the public through exhibitions that use
augmented reality (AR) and projection mapping,
tours of the waste disposal site, hands-on monitoring experiences, and other
means.
This Michi-no-Eki (roadside station) originally opened in 2001, offering facilities including a hot spring. The facility was closed for an extended period after the Tohoku Earthquake and was used as a temporary building for the Futaba Police Station. It partially reopened for business in April 2019, and is now a place of relaxation where people can rest, eat, shop, and enjoy the hot springs. It also sells Naraha Umai, a variety of rice produced in Naraha that is shipped from the Naraha Town Grain Elevator.
29Naraha Center for Remote Control
Technology Development (NARREC), Japan Atomic Energy Agency
A facility for conducting development and demonstration testing of robots
and other equipment necessary for
decommissioning the TEPCO Holdings Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
(1F). It can also be used for general robot
development testing, training of personnel to to operate robots, lectures,
and for conferences.
The virtual reality system features technology that allows users to
experience the feeling of being inside the first
floor reactor building. It can also be used for work-task training.
The robot test tank is a cylindrical tank that simulates an
underwater environment required for demonstration tests of
underwater robots.
The mock-up staircases recreate various staircases in the first
floor reactor building and can be used to practice robot
operations.
Motion capture can be used to numerically measure the movement of
drones and robots in wide spaces.
A multipurpose facility that is especially suited to soccer and other sports. In addition to sports use (such as soccer and rugby), it can also be used as a conference training facility for work purposes, as accommodation for the general public, and for its restaurant facilities alone.
This ground is also used by the Japanese national soccer team, but is also available for use by non-professional teams. It features eight natural grass fields and three artificial grass fields.
The hotel building has rooms available to both sports teams and the general public. (Four-Bed Room, Twin Room, Single Room)
It also provides various types of meeting and training rooms, both large and small. These can accommodate conferences of around 10 people through to lectures of over 200 people.
The restaurant’s menu focuses on ingredients produced in Fukushima Prefecture, with six Japanese dishes to choose from and three Western courses to choose from. Shokado bento box meals are also available for groups.
Open as a temporary station near the national soccer training center,
J-Village, in April 2019. It also attracted
attention as the last railroad station to be opened during the Heisei era
(1989 – 2019). It became a permanent station
in March 2020.
Two high-efficiency (543 MW class) Integrated Coal Gasification Combined
Cycle (IGCC) power generation facilities are
being constructed in Iwaki City and Hirono Town. They are being separately
produced by Nakoso IGCC Power GK and Hirono
IGCC Power GK. IGCC is expected to be more efficient than conventional
coal-fired power generation, reducing fuel use
and carbon dioxide emissions.
33Fukushima Prefecture Fisheries and
Marine Research Center
The waters off Fukushima Prefecture are known for being the point at which
the Oyashio and Kuroshio currents meet. It is
a rich fishing ground where fish from both currents can be caught. The
marine products caught here are called Joban
products and are highly sought after in the market. The Fukushima
Prefectural Fisheries and Oceanic Research Center has
been conducting research and surveys on fish and shellfish off Fukushima
Prefecture’s coast since its predecessor, the
Fukushima Prefectural Fisheries Experiment Station, was established in the
Onahama district of Iwaki City in 1902. The
Fukushima Fisheries and Marine Research Center holds open lectures related
to the surveys and research it conducts.
Topics include the current status of the fisheries industry and the richness
of the sea in Fukushima, as well as
radiation monitoring. Tours can be combined with a visit to the new
government building, which opened in July of 2019.
About Custom Tours
Whether you’re interested in creating a new business related to the advanced industries in
the Hamadori region or want
to provide employee training, the Fukushima Innovation Coast Framework Promotion
Organization can create customized tour
programs on the framework’s locations, as well as other areas. Please contact us if you are
considering a visit.
Recommended for the following purposes
Enhancing In-Company Human Resource Development
▶Employee development
Problem-solving training
▶Collaborative activities with local communities
Can be held as part of CSR
Developing New Businesses
Tours of unique demonstration/research locales
▶Develop new business
▶Hold demonstrative and in-house events at these locations
Company expansion
▶Establish a company base in the Innovation Region (satellite office)
▶Expand your company into the Innovation Region
Other Developments
Conventions and conferences
▶Considerations regarding conventions and conferences
Contribute to Fukushima in various ways
▶Disseminate information domestically and internationally
