Travel warning for Japan: Foreign Office warns of Fukushima regions
Updated on July 7, 2025 - 8:00 a.m. Reading time: 2 min.
Japan is attracting more tourists than ever before—the country fascinates with its culture, technology, and unique experiences. However, the German Foreign Office has been warning against certain regions for many years.
Whether cherry blossoms in Kyoto, futuristic cityscapes in Tokyo, or spiritual retreats in the countryside – Japan is considered one of the safest and most popular long-haul travel destinations in the world. Politically stable, technologically advanced, and culturally rich like no other country, authorities expect a new tourism record this year. This follows the previous record of 36.8 million foreign visitors set in 2024.
But the Foreign Office in Berlin issued a clear partial travel warning many years ago, which is still in effect today. It affects a small but symbolically charged part of the country.
The Federal Foreign Office advises against travel to certain areas officially evacuated by the Japanese government around the Fukushima Daiichi I nuclear power plant in the northeast of the main island of Honshu. These regions were evacuated after the devastating reactor accident in 2011 and are still considered partially uninhabitable.
Specifically affected are parts of the municipalities of Futaba, Iitate, Katsurao, Minamisōma, Namie, Okuma, and Tomioka. Although Japan has made significant progress in decontamination since the accident, some areas remain closed. The Federal Office for Radiation Protection emphasizes the responsibility of regional authorities and advises that even necessary travel should be undertaken only after prior consultation and with the utmost caution.
The Federal Foreign Office also points out that Japan is the most earthquake-prone country in the world and has more than 100 active volcanoes. On average, around 1,500 earthquakes are registered seismically each year, several of which can be clearly felt in Tokyo. Increased warning levels and exclusion zones are in place for the Sakurajima, Kuchinoerabu, Iojima, Mount Aso, and Suwanosejima volcanoes in the Kyushu region, as well as the Kusatsu-Shirane volcano in Gunma Prefecture northeast of Tokyo.
On the afternoon of March 11, 2011, an undersea earthquake struck the Pacific Ocean, resulting in a tsunami hitting the east coast of Japan. This triggered a series of accidents at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, including core meltdowns in three reactor blocks. Hydrogen explosions occurred. Significant amounts of radioactive substances were released into the atmosphere, especially in the first few days after the nuclear disaster.
The earthquake and subsequent tsunami resulted in the deaths of approximately 18,500 people. In addition, approximately 470,000 people had to be evacuated due to radioactive contamination following the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Investigations into the exact condition of the reactors are still ongoing. The remaining radioactive fuel elements are not expected to be fully unloaded from the fuel pools until the end of 2031. The construction of a dam to protect the plant against tsunamis was completed in 2024.
Finally, the good news: There are no restrictions in place for the regions of the country that were not affected by the reactor accident. From a radiological perspective, travel to other parts of the country is completely safe. Therefore, anyone traveling far from the aforementioned restricted areas can explore Japan without worry.
t-online
