is a town located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. In 2010, the town had a population of 11,515. However, the town was totally evacuated in the aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster and residents were permitted return during daylight hours from May 2013. In April 2019, parts of the town were deemed to have been successfully decontaminated, with residents allowed to return to these areas. , the town had an official registered population of 11,505 in 4,235 households; however, this number is due to the municipality continuing to keep track of its residents despite them having been evacuated elsewhere throughout the country. The actual population resident in the town was 2,578 people. The total area of the town is . Geography Ōkuma is located on the Pacific Ocean coastline of central Fukushima. Ōkuma lies in the center of the Hamadōri region of Fukushima, bordered to the west by the Abukuma Highlands and to the east by the Pacific Ocean. It is set between the cities of Namie and Futaba to the north, Tamura to the west, and Kawauchi and Tomioka to the south. The town is the site of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. , with a height of , is within the town. The also flows within the town. Surrounding municipalities Fukushima Prefecture Namie Futaba Tamura Kawauchi Tomioka Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Ōkuma grew steadily over the past 40 years until the nuclear disaster. Climate Ōkuma has a humid climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Ōkuma is . The average annual rainfall is with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at around . History Early history of the area The area of present-day Ōkuma was part of Mutsu Province. While historical records are unclear, it is believed that the area of present-day Ōkuma was ruled by the Shineha clan beginning in the mid-12th century. Later, during the Sengoku period, in December 1492 the Sōma clan defeated the Shineha clan, and the area transferred to the Sōma clan's control. During the Edo period, the was established along the , also referred as Coastal Road (浜通り Hamadōri）, in the area of present-day Ōkuma. The Iwaki-Sōma Road connected the region to Mito in the south and Sendai in the north. Modern-day National Route 6, which runs through Ōkuma, generally