Five years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. On behalf of the people of Fukushima, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those people at home and abroad for their overwhelming support during this period.

Fukushima Prefecture is still in the process of reconstruction as we face numerous issues, including many residents still living as evacuees, decommissioning the nuclear power plant, contaminated water, rebuilding the daily lives of disaster-affected people and working on reputational damage, as well as preventing disaster memories from fading and being forgotten.

On the other hand, I can feel that smiles are starting to come back to people's faces throughout Fukushima with a bright light steadily spreading, as we can see from the Futaba Mirai Gakuen High School opening in the disaster-affected area, progress in development of facilities that support reconstruction such as the Environmental Creation Center, in addition to bustling tourist sites in the prefecture and young people's success in culture and sports.

While embarking on these efforts, Fukushima's image and unfavorable reputation among other countries regarding safety remains a major obstacle. Sending out accurate information is extremely important to dispel these negative impressions. We have had people from overseas visit Fukushima, including when international meetings take place such as the U.N. World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction that was held in Sendai last March, or on observation visits. We also send out information using the Internet and mass media, as well as utilizing Fukushima's foreign resident network. In January, I attended the World Economic Forum annual meeting (the Davos Conference) in Switzerland and delivered a message to the world on what Fukushima faces today in its continuing challenge in reconstruction and revitalization. I will make use of the bonds and networks built through these opportunities and reach out to develop understanding and gain support from people around the world.

In addition, we are steadily carrying out international cooperation in the medical device and renewable energy industries, business interaction with overseas companies, as well as cooperation and collaboration with international organizations in the area of radiation.

Furthermore, as Fukushima receives global attention, the children of Fukushima have more opportunities to interact with people from all over the world. They are becoming more aware of Japan's position from an international perspective and Fukushima's position from a global perspective. Through these valuable experiences, some children have been inspired to want to give back to the world. Fukushima Prefecture would like to take measures to increase such opportunities, allowing them to interact in various fields such as culture, academics and sports.

"Challenge" is the key word to move forward with Fukushima's reconstruction. I am determined to aggressively "challenge" a variety of issues and establish "a 'newborn Fukushima,' which is full of dreams, hope and smiles." I ask for your continuous support and cooperation.

Download the PDF of this 5-year memorial of Great East Japan Earthquake