Voters in Fukushima Prefecture, where about 150,000 people still can't return to their homes because of the nuclear crisis, urged politicians Thursday to face the reality of the catastrophe as official campaigning for the July 21 Upper House election got under way.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe apologized to voters during a speech in the city of Fukushima, saying his Liberal Democratic Party "must reflect deeply" on its past policy of promoting nuclear power without thoroughly considering reactor safety.
"Japan cannot be revived unless Fukushima recovers," Abe said.