U.S. State Department Lifts Travel Warning for Tokyo

Voluntary Authorized Departure from Japan for U.S. Government Dependents Ends

April 15, 2011

The U.S. Department of State has issued an updated Travel Alert for Japan, and has lifted the voluntary authorized departure status instituted on March 16, 2011, allowing the dependents of U.S. government employees to return to Japan as of April 15, 2011. The Department of State’s updated Travel Alert for Japan may be viewed online here.

This decision was based on the assessment of experts from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Department of Energy, and the unanimous opinion of U.S. scientific experts on the ground in Japan that the health and safety risks to areas outside of the 50-mile radius of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant are very low. These assessments are consistent with practices that would be taken in the United States in such a situation.

We continue to recommend that U.S. citizens avoid travel within the 50-mile radius of the Fukushima plant. U.S. citizens who are still within this radius should evacuate or shelter in place.

The U.S. Embassy looks forward to welcoming family members back to Japan.