Mr. Itakura Masao, who returned to live in Tomioka Town, Fukushima Prefecture

“If you haven’t seen Fukushima, you can’t possibly imagine this reality,” said by Mr. Itakura Masao, who returned to live in Tomioka Town, Fukushima Prefecture.

The evacuation orders for the town of Tomioka in Fukushima Prefecture were lifted in 2017. Mr. Itakura’s home is about six kilometres from the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and he has recently returned to live in Tomioka. We visited Mr. Itakura there, together with Ms. Muto Ruiko of Miharu Town, Fukushima Prefecture.

Mr. Itakura told us of the situation in Tomioka today, formerly part of the evacuation zone. He doesn’t bring his grandchildren or children to visit because the radiation levels are still too high. Due to the limited availability of shops and services, despite being over 90 years old he still has to drive himself.