20-km Zone Around Fukushima Officially Labeled Death Zone

It only took the Japanese authorities 6 weeks after the tsunami to declare the 20-km zone around Fukushima off-limits. Kyodo reports that checkpoints have been set up, and the gov't will institute a no-entry ban effective Thursday night.

From Kyodo:

Japan bans residents from staying within 20-km from Fukushima plant

TOKYO, April 21, Kyodo

Japan decided Thursday to prohibit residents from staying within a 20-kilometer radius of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant to enhance control of evacuees amid continued fear of radiation leaks.



Prime Minister Naoto Kan told Fukushima Gov. Yuhei Sato, during their talks at the prefectural office, to upgrade the current evacuation instruction for residents relevant to the no-entry ban, which comes into effect Thursday midnight.
Sato, emerging from a 35-minute meeting with Kan, told reporters he called on the premier to thoroughly explain the new step to the municipalities that will be designated as legally-binding ''caution areas.''