3-1=1 - KyeongJun Yang

On March 11, 2011, the Fukushima Prefecture collapsed twice. The Tohoku earthquake, which was the worst recorded in Japan’s history, had caused a 40.5 meters high tsunami and killed approximately 15,000 people. But the tragedy did not end there. The Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, located at the west end of Fukushima, could not withstand the impact brought by the tsunami. Radioactivity began to spread into the air as well as water. On the first day of the accident, the Japanese government ordered evacuation up to 3 kilometers around the power plant, after one month post its radiation leak, the evacuation zone had expanded to 40 kilometers.

In 2012, the Japanese government began restoring villages except for high-risk areas within 20 kilometers radius of the power plant. Traces of Fukushima’s previous lives were recovered after restorations of collapsed buildings and houses. However, radiation decontamination was progressing slower than the government’s expectation. Even if contaminated soil is scraped off from the surface, it is contaminated once more when runoff waters descend from the mountains when it rains. Complete decontamination is impossible unless every tree is removed from the mountains; however, 70% of Fukushima is comprised of mountains covered by dense woods.

In 2020, the Japanese government had lifted most of the evacuation orders and had cut off subsidies. Houses that could not be decontaminated were destroyed and new houses were built to prompt residents to return to their respective villages. The actions of broadcasting reduced pollution levels and the footage of Prime Minister Abe eating Fukushima-raised fish did not erase the impact of sheer fear from radiation leak. The slogan for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics is, “Let’s Go Forward.” As the world moves on towards the future, Fukushima came to an abrupt stop on March 11.

1. Kiyohashi, Namie

A worker directs traffic. Most people staying in Namie are decontamination workers. In 2019, only around 6% of Namie residents have returned, and around half of Namie remained as “Difficult to Return” zone. Kiyohashi, Namie. 2019.

2. Gogendo, Namie

An abandoned house in Namie. Because Namie is within 20km of the Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the decontamination of most houses is not possible. Therefore, the residents have not returned since 2011. Gogendo, Namie. 2019.

3. Ukedo, Namie

A broken pillar in Ukedo Elementary School in Namie. When the earthquake and tsunami hit Namie, there were around 80 students in the school. Usually, schools in Japan have designated evacuation centers, which suggested staff to keep the student inside, but they ignored it and evacuated all 80 children to the nearby hill. Ukedo, Namie. 2019.

4. Obama, Soma

A broken port in Soma. Soma is about 50km away from the Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and has not been affected by the radiation in comparison to other towns. However, the damage of the tsunami was enormous and is still being repaired. Obama, Soma. 2019.

5. Nakagami, Iitate

An abandoned car with a broken window. Iitate is about 50km away from the Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. In 2019, 24% of Iitate residents returned, so many houses and cars are still abandoned. Usuishi, Itate. 2019.

6. Usuishi, Itate

A worker takes a nap in a parking lot at a convenience store. In 2017, The Japanese government lifted the evacuation order on most part of Iitate, but many places in Iitate is still being decontaminated. Usuishi, Itate. 2019.

7. Kobama, Tomioka

Workers decontaminate houses in Tomioka. The decontamination workers scrap the 5cm off the surface and put the soil and leave into a bag. When there is rain, the surface of Fukushima is contaminated again from the remaining radiation of forests, and 70% of Fukushima is forest. Kobama, Tomioka. 2019.

8. Iitoi, Iitate

Workers build a roof for a new house next to a graveyard. Around 15,000 people died and were missing due to the tsunami on March 11th, 2011. In 2018, the Japanese government announced that there was only one person who died because of the nuclear leak. Iitoi, Iitate. 2019.

9. Ukedo, Namie

Piles of contaminated soil stick out above a barricade. Various parts of Namie are still being contaminated. Whenever big typhoons hit Fukushima, many of the piles were damaged or missing. Ukedo, Namie. 2019.

10. Matsuzuka, Iitate

Solar panels next to a house in Iitate. Iitate was known for rice farming, but it had been stopped since the radiation disaster. Some farmers did not want to waste their land, so they started to build solar panels where they used to farm rice. Matsuzuka, Iitate. 2019.

11. Kamiteoka, Tomioka

Some Fukushima residents do not want other Japanese to know they are from Fukushima. According to NHK, 45.1% of people from Fukushima said they were bullied by other Japanese people after they moved. Kamiteoka, Tomioka. 2019.

12. Gongendo, Namie

A discarded house in Namie. Most houses in the Gongendo, Namie area are impossible to decontaminate. The Japanese government has discarded them and rebuilt new houses. Gongendo, Namie. 2019.

13. Takishida, Iitate

A table left behind after the disaster on March 11^th, 2011. Many people evacuated from their home without knowing that they won’t be able to come back. There are many houses that have not been touched since 2011 in Iitate. Takishida, Iitate. 2019.

14. Kiyohashi, Namie

Long weeds that have not been cut since 2011 in the garden of a house in Namie. Since only around 6% of Namie residents have returned, many houses were not touched for a long time. Kiyohashi, Namie. 2019.

15. Ogoniwa, Iitate

A pile of contaminated soil next to a farm and ranch. Iitate does not have enough space to keep the contaminated soil. Many were placed next to houses and farms where people and cows live. Ogoniwa, Iitate. 2019.

16. Motoka, Tomioka

A river is flowing in an empty park in Tomikoa. Tomioka was known for cherry blossom festival. From a survey taken in 2013, 40 percent of the town's residents responded that they had decided never to return, and 43 percent were undecided. Motoka, Tomioka. 2019.

17. Takase, Namie

Footsteps of contamination workers next to a river in Namie. In 2020, according to Greenpeace, 99% of rivers in Namie and Iitate exceeded the Japanese government’s decontamination target value. Takase, Namie. 2019.

18. Machi, Iitate

An abandoned Shiba Inu wanders around a convenient store to get some food. The dog waits in front of the convenience store until workers come out to beg for food. Machi, Iitate. 2019.

19. J-Village, Naraha

A soccer goal is turned sideways on the empty J-Village. J-Village, which is located within 20km of the Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, is a sports facility that the Japanese government built for the 2021 Tokyo Olympic. The government announced that they will start the torch relay from J-Village. J-Village, Naraha. 2019.

20. Obama, Soma

A man fishes at a port in Soma alone. The port and boats were destroyed on March 11^th, 2011, but they started to slowly recover in 2012. In 2012, 44 types of fish and shellfish were banned for consumption due to exceeding the becquerel standard. Since February 2020, none of them are banned anymore. Obama, Soma. 2019.