Impact of the discharge of treated water on residents’ intention to return to areas near the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station a decade after the accident

\n This study evaluated factors independently associated with residents’ intention to return (ITR) to the affected areas near the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), discharged ALPS-treated water (DTW), social capital (SC), health-related quality of life (HR-QOL), and radiation risk perceptions which are located within 20 km of the FDNPS. The concerns about DTW were investigated six months before authorities began discharging treated water into the Pacific Ocean, in August 2023. A multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that residents who wanted to return were mostly concerned about the DTW (odds ratio [OR] = 1.48, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.05–2.09, p < 0.05). Compared to the residents who had already returned, the social cohesion score was lower in non-returnees (want to return, OR = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.09–0.43, p < 0.01; undecided, OR = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.11–0.41, p < 0.01; do not want to return, OR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.15–0.53, p < 0.01). Residents of areas affected by the FDNPS accident remain concerned about various issues regarding radiation. These results provide important suggestions for how to provide appropriate support that addresses the specific concerns of former residents of affected areas.\n