J-Village in Fukushima Fully Reopens as Symbol of Reconstruction

April 20, 2019

Naraha, Fukushima Pref.- The J-Village national soccer center, which had been used as a base to cope with a nuclear accident in the northeastern Japan prefecture of Fukushima, fully resumed its original functions on Saturday for the first time in about eight years.

A ceremony to mark the full reopening was held on the day, with participants including Princess Hisako, the widow of the late Prince Takamado, a cousin of Emperor Akihito, and Reconstruction Minister Hiromichi Watanabe.

"I hope that J-Village filled with children's voices will cheer up Fukushima residents and people affected by the March 2011 disasters, as a symbol of postdisaster reconstruction," the princess said in a speech at the ceremony. She serves as honorary patron of the Japan Football Association.

J-Village, located between the towns of Naraha and Hirono in Fukushima, resumed some of its operations in July last year, after it was used as a base for work to decommission Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant damaged in the March 2011 powerful earthquake and tsunami.

Recently, two natural grass soccer fields have been completed at J-Village.

"Today is the starting point for people related to soccer," JFA President Kozo Tashima said at the ceremony. Jiji Press