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It's a testament to the enduring appeal of surfing that despite facing the adversity of a tsunami and nuclear disaster a beach community in Fukushima is revitalizing the region through surf tourism.&nbsp;&nbsp;
offers some of the most consistent surf to be found anywhere in Japan
Local surfers and community leaders are using the almost year-round supply of waves to drive a so-called surf tourism initiative to revitalize the city through marine leisure.&nbsp;
<a title="Kyodo News Plus" href="https://immersive.kyodonews.net/waves-for-days-fuel-surf-tourism-at-fukushima-beach-town/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&gt;&gt;Read the full article with visuals and video on Spotlight Japan&gt;&gt;</a>
surfers from around Japan came to Minamisoma to compete during the Kitaizumi Surf Festival
The event took place just over a year after the government began releasing treated water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean
Among the festival guests was one of the most famous names in surfing
former world champion Joel Parkinson.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
or "Parko" as the Australian is affectionately known
said he had enjoyed some fun surfs during the festival
The 2012 ASP World Champion also took some of the next generation of surfers through their paces during a surf school attended by local children
one of a program of events offered alongside the contest.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
there was the issue of the nuclear power plant
Having overseas guests like Parko spread the word to the world about what a great place this is
chairman of the festival's organizing body
is one of the leading figures of surf tourism in Minamisoma
He believes the festival marked a turning point for the initiative.&nbsp;
the situation here has been communicated to the rest of Japan - that the area is safe
that more people are coming here," he said
"Now it's time to tell the world that this area is safe."&nbsp;
This article was submitted by a contributing writer for publication on Kyodo News Plus
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<a href="/articles/s41598-024-53165-2/metrics" data-track="click" data-track-action="view metrics" data-track-label="link" rel="nofollow">Metrics details</a>
A <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54746-x" class="relation-link" data-track="click" data-track-action="view linked article" data-track-label="link">Publisher Correction</a> to this article was published on 20 February 2024
This article has been <a href="#change-history">updated</a>
The medical situation during disasters often differs from that at usual times
Disasters can lead to significant mortality that can be difficult to monitor
The types of disaster-related deaths are largely unknown
we conducted a survey to categorize the disaster-related deaths caused by a radiation disaster
A total of 520 people living in Minamisoma City
at the time of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident
who were certified to have died due to disaster-related causes were surveyed
We divided the participants into those who were at home at the time of the earthquake and those who were in hospitals or facilities when the disaster struck and conducted a hierarchical cluster analysis of the two groups
Disaster-related deaths could be divided into seven groups for those who were at home at the time of the disaster and five groups for those who were in hospitals or facilities at the time of the disaster
Each group showed different characteristics
such as "the group with disabilities," "the group receiving care," and "the group with depression," and it became evident that not only uniform post-disaster support
but support tailored to the characteristics of each group is necessary
the concept of disaster-related deaths itself is still new
Although capturing the nature of these disaster-related deaths is important for preventing casualties in large-scale disasters
no detailed analysis has been conducted to identify the characteristics of disaster-related deaths among populations that died due to radiation disasters
to understand the overall characteristics of disaster-related deaths
it is important to develop a typology of these types of death cases and categorize each death into a group of similar type of cases
This study aimed to clarify the characteristic patterns of disaster-related deaths in a radiation disaster by grouping similar case groups among those who died in Minamisoma City
where some areas were included in the evacuation-ordered zone after the FDNPP accident
Identifying the typical patterns of disaster-related deaths in a major type of disaster will help gain more in-depth understanding of the nature of disaster-related deaths
This retrospective observational study was conducted in Minamisoma City
and included cases that were certified as disaster-related deaths between September 2011 and February 2021
</a>Location of Minamisoma City and Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant along with the “Preparation Zone for Lifting Evacuation Order,” “Restricted Population Zone,” and “Difficult-to-Return Zone” in Minamisoma City from April 1, 2012, to July 12, 2016. This map was created with ESRI's Arc GIS pro version 3.1. (<a href="https://www.esrij.com/products/arcgis">https://www.esrij.com/products/arcgis</a>)
The study included a total of 520 people who lived in Minamisoma City on March 11
the day the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred
and whose deaths were certified as disaster-related by the Minamisoma City Committee for Certification of Disaster-Related Deaths
Disaster-related deaths in Japan are certified by the committee after an examination performed by the municipality’s certification committee based on an application form submitted by the bereaved family of the deceased
the definition of disaster-related deaths in this study conformed to the criteria used by the Minamisoma City Committee for recognition of disaster-related deaths
The Minamisoma City Office in Fukushima Prefecture provided us with the application forms and accompanying materials of the 520 targeted people who were certified as having died from disaster-related causes
These application forms and accompanying materials written by the bereaved families of the deceased were used to collect data and create the "Minamisoma City Disaster-Related Death Database" (MCDRD data)
The following 24 items without descriptive elements were selected and extracted from the MCDRD data: sex
March 11 residence classification (&lt; 20 km
March 11 hospitalization or inpatient status
The MCDRD data used in this study are not publicly available as they contain personal information and were provided for sole use in our series of studies
the causes of death were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) to make the causes of death statistically tractable
Direct causes of death were substituted for those without a description of the cause of death
For individuals with more than one listed cause of death
considered other descriptions of the circumstances at the time of death
After replacing the cause of death with the ICD-10 code, basic statistics for each variable were calculated. Means and variances were calculated for continuous variables and the number in each category was counted for categorical data (Table <a data-track="click" data-track-label="link" data-track-action="table anchor" href="/articles/s41598-024-53165-2#Tab1">1</a>)
</a>The tree diagrams of hierarchical clustering used to determine the number of clusters. The clustering distance is the distance produced using the Ward method with square Euclidean distance. (a) The tree diagram of hierarchical clustering of those who were at home at the time of the earthquake. (b) The tree diagram of hierarchical clustering of those who were in the hospital or facility at the time of the earthquake.
</a>Results of dimensional compression using the t-SNE method and visualization of cluster results in a plan view
(a) Visualization of cluster results of those who were at home at the time of the earthquake
(b) Visualization of cluster results of those who were in the hospital or facility at the time of the earthquake
</a>Main factors revealed by cluster analysis and the classification algorithm graphs that used them
(a) Classification algorithm graph for those who were at home at the time of the earthquake
(b) Classification algorithm graph for those who were in the hospital or facility at the time of the earthquake
These analyses were performed using python version 3.9.7
This study was approved by the Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital Ethics Committee (approval number:2-21) and the Fukushima Medical University Ethics Committee (reference number:2020-297)
As data were evaluated retrospectively and pseudonymously and were solely obtained for treatment purposes
the requirement for informed consent was waived by the ethics committees of Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital and the Fukushima Medical University
The study was conducted in accordance with the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki
Typical example of Class H7 was "elderly with depression" {age (85.8 ± 9.44 years
and the number of days from the earthquake to death (192.0 ± 137.6
the typical cases included “those who had not received care certification or were not disabled
but had reduced social activity and depressive feelings” {reduced social activity [yes
and number of days from the earthquake to death (611.5 ± 514.2)}
Typical example of Class H3 comprised "those with no care certification or disability
but with depressive feelings" {impaired communication [yes
and number of days from the earthquake to death (228.8 ± 225.0
A typical example of class H2 was "elderly
and those who received care certification" {age (85.9 ± 9.24 years)
and number of days from the earthquake to death (51.7 ± 39.2)}
a typical example was "those who did not receive care certification or were not disabled and did not evacuate after the earthquake but stayed at home” { evacuation [yes
and the number of days from the earthquake to death (98.0 ± 172.3)}.Typical example of Class H6 comprised those who were “depressed and disabled” {depression [yes
and number of days from the disaster to death (488.1 ± 432.9)}
A typical example of Class H4 was "those with depression and increased alcohol consumption" {depression [yes
and number of days from the disaster to death (667.5 ± 237.6)}
A typical examples of Class I5 was "those exhibiting decreased social activity and depression
and receiving care certification" {decreased social participation [yes
and the number of days from the earthquake to death (174.6 ± 144.4
a typical example was “those who moved out of the prefecture
and were receiving care certification” {depression [yes
and the number of days from the earthquake to death (90.2 ± 95.0
Class I3 comprised "those who stayed in the prefecture
and were hospitalized at the time of the disaster" {moving location [in-prefecture
status at the time of the disaster [in hospitals
and the number of days from the earthquake to death (94.5 ± 92.5
A typical example of Class I4 was "those with disability and receiving care certification" {receiving care certification [yes
and the number of days from the earthquake to death (666.7 ± 500.2)}
Class I2 comprised "those who did not evacuate after the disaster" {evacuation [yes
and number of days from the earthquake to death (40.1 ± 65.1)}
Factors that largely distinguished the characteristics of each group were the presence or absence of a disability, receiving care certification, evacuation, and depression (Fig. <a data-track="click" data-track-label="link" data-track-action="figure anchor" href="/articles/s41598-024-53165-2#Fig4">4</a>)
Among people who were at home at the time of the disaster
only three of the seven groups received nursing care
whereas among those in a hospital or facility
only one of the five groups did not receive nursing care
as it helped extract a population that did not receive nursing care from a population with many care recipients and vice versa
This study showed that disaster-related deaths in a radiation disaster can be divided into seven groups for those who were at home at the time of the disaster and into five groups for those who were in a hospital or at a facility at the time of the disaster
Clear differences were evident in the groups' causes of death
The people at home had more deaths from circulatory diseases and malignant neoplasms
which accounted for approximately half of all deaths
While those in a hospital or facility had more deaths due to respiratory diseases and senility
which also accounted for one-third of all deaths
The two groups also differed in terms of the diseases to which they were prone
These findings are consistent with the present study results
which showed that people with disabilities succumb to long-term effects
Interview research to clarify how people with disabilities are affected and weakened is warranted in the future
we found that some people died before evacuation
which had not been found in previous studies
Future studies are required to accumulate more research evidence regarding such groups
some people who have depression without such effects
An important finding is that while some debilitated people who originally had serious illnesses died within three months of the disaster
others lingered beyond three months and developed depression
these long-term survivors not only included originally healthy individuals
but also those with disabilities and pre-existing medical conditions
These facts suggest that post-disaster support for disaster victims may require not only uniform support
but also group-specific continuous support
mental health care was required 3 months after the disaster
These are important findings on chronic disaster care for future disaster medicine
this study had a few limitations which need consideration
the classifications are used to observe group tendencies and do not consider every individual’s behavior
This aspect should be considered when conducting qualitative surveys in the future to determine individual characteristics
a more detailed analysis with the population stratified by various demographic factors
data were registered based on applications from family members of those who died in disaster-related deaths
This may have resulted in some bias because some parts were not based on objective indicators
the judgments by multiple raters would have reduced this bias
there was a large amount of missing data regarding questions such as motivation to engage in social activities and depressive tendencies
with sleep disorders at the top of the list
These were complemented by the multiple assignment method
when a similar analysis was conducted using only data that did not include missing values
the participants were classified into similar clusters
suggesting that the multiple assignment method is a reasonable complement
Radiation disaster-related deaths can be divided into seven categories for those who were at home at the time of the disaster and into five categories for those who were in hospitals or facilities at the time of the disaster
These clusters can be classified based on “residential status at the time of the disaster,” “receiving long-term care certification,” “presence of disabilities,” “presence of depression,” and “experience of evacuation.” Moreover
these clusters included “people who did not evacuate after the disaster and stayed at home,” “people with disabilities,” “people receiving care,” and “people with depressive feelings.” Some of the individuals belonging to these categories originally had serious illnesses and died within three months of the disaster
while others survived until after three months and began to experience depressive feelings
each category had distinct diseases that were likely to be the cause of death
such as “the group with more deaths from malignant neoplasms,” “the group with more deaths from respiratory diseases,” and “the group with more deaths from debilitating diseases”
The prolonged group not only included those who were originally healthy
These findings suggest that assisting disaster victims not only require uniform support
but also individual support based on the group and category they belong to
All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article
A Correction to this paper has been published: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54746-x">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54746-x</a>
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McLeod, G. F. H. et al. Recruitment and retention of participants in longitudinal studies after a natural disaster. Longit. Life Course Stud. 13, 287–306. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1332/175795921X16168462584238" data-track="click_references" data-track-action="external reference" data-track-value="external reference" data-track-label="10.1332/175795921X16168462584238">https://doi.org/10.1332/175795921X16168462584238</a> (2021)
Yamamoto, K. et al. Loss of participation among evacuees aged 20–37 years in the disaster cohort study after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Sci. Rep. 12, 19600. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-23896-1" data-track="click_references" data-track-action="external reference" data-track-value="external reference" data-track-label="10.1038/s41598-022-23896-1">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-23896-1</a> (2022)
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Sawano, T. et al. Premature death associated with long-term evacuation among a vulnerable population after the Fukushima nuclear disaster: A case report. Medicine (Baltimore) 98, e16 162. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000016162" data-track="click_references" data-track-action="external reference" data-track-value="external reference" data-track-label="10.1097/MD.0000000000016162">https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000016162</a> (2019)
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Yasumura, S. Evacuation effect on excess mortality among institutionalized elderly after the fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant accident. Fukushima J. Med. Sci. 60, 192–195. <a href="https://doi.org/10.5387/fms.2014-13" data-track="click_references" data-track-action="external reference" data-track-value="external reference" data-track-label="10.5387/fms.2014-13">https://doi.org/10.5387/fms.2014-13</a> (2014)
Stough, L. M., Sharp, A. N., Decker, C. &amp; Wilker, N. Disaster case management and individuals with disabilities. Rehabil. Psychol. 55, 211–220. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020079" data-track="click_references" data-track-action="external reference" data-track-value="external reference" data-track-label="10.1037/a0020079">https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020079</a> (2010)
Tanaka, R. Prolonged living as a refugee from the area around a stricken nuclear power plant increases the risk of death. Prehosp. Disaster Med. 30, 425–430. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049023X15004926" data-track="click_references" data-track-action="external reference" data-track-value="external reference" data-track-label="10.1017/S1049023X15004926">https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049023X15004926</a> (2015)
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Nomura, S. et al. Post-nuclear disaster evacuation and survival amongst elderly people in Fukushima: A comparative analysis between evacuees and non-evacuees. Prev. Med. 82, 77–82. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2015.11.014" data-track="click_references" data-track-action="external reference" data-track-value="external reference" data-track-label="10.1016/j.ypmed.2015.11.014">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2015.11.014</a> (2016)
Kyozuka, H. et al. Impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake on feeding methods and newborn growth at 1 month postpartum: Results from the Fukushima Health Management Survey. Radiat. Environ. Biophys. 55, 139–146. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-016-0636-7" data-track="click_references" data-track-action="external reference" data-track-value="external reference" data-track-label="10.1007/s00411-016-0636-7">https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-016-0636-7</a> (2016)
Maeda, M. &amp; Oe, M. Mental health consequences and social issues after the Fukushima disaster. Asia Pac. J. Public Health 29, 36S-46S. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1010539516689695" data-track="click_references" data-track-action="external reference" data-track-value="external reference" data-track-label="10.1177/1010539516689695">https://doi.org/10.1177/1010539516689695</a> (2017)
Saeed, S. A. &amp; Gargano, S. P. Natural disasters and mental health. Int. Rev. Psychiatry 34, 16–25. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2022.2037524" data-track="click_references" data-track-action="external reference" data-track-value="external reference" data-track-label="10.1080/09540261.2022.2037524">https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2022.2037524</a> (2022)
mental health activities in the Ishinomaki Region
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The authors express their sincere gratitude to Minamisoma City Office and its staff. The authors are also grateful to Mr. Masatsugu Tanaki of the Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital for his technical support. Additionally, the authors thank Editage (<a href="http://www.editage.com">www.editage.com</a>) for English language editing
This work was supported by JST Grant Number JPMJPF2301
Present address: Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research
Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine
contributed to the study conception and design
All authors critically revised the manuscript for intellectual content
interpreted the cases and approved the final manuscript
The authors declare no competing interests
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
The original online version of this Article was revised: In the original version of this Article Masaharu Tsubokura was incorrectly affiliated
Full information regarding the corrections made can be found in the correction for this Article
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Fukushima Prefecture--An action-packed 1,000-year-old festival here
featuring armored samurai warriors on horseback
was held two months earlier than usual to avoid the grueling summer heat
One of the “Soma-Nomaoi” (Soma wild horse chase) festival’s main events
a parade of costumed warriors and their horses through the streets of Minami-Soma
They also competed in horse races and battles to take a sacred flag at the festival’s main venue
About 390 horses participated this year and about 73,000 spectators attended that day
The three-day festival has been held in the Soso district of the prefecture for about 10 centuries
traditionally at the end of July--but this year
The highest temperature on the day of the festival was 26 degrees
a reasonable temperature for both people and horses
and his 10-year-old horse participated in all the festival’s events this year
Hoshi said he suffered from heat stroke at last year’s festival and his horse was also exhausted
so they had to retire halfway through the event
I hope the festival will continue in a reasonable way for both horses and humans,” he said
“We need to be flexible and change the way the festival is held in order to carry on the tradition,” he said
About 33,000 spectators gathered at Hibarigahara-saijochi
who came to see the festival for the first time from western Tokyo
said she had given up on ever seeing the festival because of the sweltering heat in July
“The sound of flags blowing in the wind during the armored horse race was very powerful
and I was able to experience the real thrill of the event” she said
were treated for heat stroke at first-aid stations this year--59 fewer than last year
According to the Minami-Soma police station of the Fukushima prefectural police
a male participant and a female spectator were seriously injured with broken bones after being kicked by horses
A 72-year-old armored samurai warrior was kicked in the leg while leading his horse on foot
A 62-year-old woman from Yokohama was kicked in a horse stable at the main venue
(This article was written by Yasushi Okubo and Yukiko Sakamoto.)
Summer horse festival to avoid brutal heat after animal deaths
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Festivals that planned to return now face tough calls as cases rise
Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions
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Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors
chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
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Joined the company in 2017 and currently is in charge of corporate websites
He spent his four years at university as a highly committed member of the judo club
He is a foodie whose life&rsquo;s passion is eating out
he enjoys exploring local cuisine and museums
and currently topping his must-visit list is Taiwan
Minamisoma City in Fukushima Prefecture sustained extensive damage from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami
The serious impact of the disaster is particularly evident in coastal areas
where work is still underway to repair and improve dikes
and farmland infrastructure such as canals and demarcations
To help the post-disaster reconstruction of Minamisoma City
Sumitomo Corporation is developing two solar power plants
One is the Minamisoma Mano-Migita-Ebi Solar Power Plant implemented by Solar Power Minamisoma-Kashima
The plant started commercial operation on March 20
I visited the plant in April to cover its dedication ceremony
On my way to the dedication ceremony venue from Kashima Station on the JR Joban Line
I traveled through a vast field of solar panels belonging to Minamisoma Mano-Migita-Ebi Solar Power Plant
this massive array of solar panels gleamed in the sun beneath a cloudless sky
A huge wind turbine stood next to the power plant
the juxtaposition of its rotating blades and the sparkling solar panels demonstrating Minamisoma&rsquo;s post-disaster drive to embrace renewable energy
The city laid out its &ldquo;Renewable Energy Promotion Vision&rdquo; in October 2012
aiming to cover most of its energy needs with renewables by 2030
The Sumitomo Corporation Group&rsquo;s two solar power plants in Minamisoma are expected to play vital roles in the realization of this vision
and thus carry the hopes of the local community
The dedication ceremony to celebrate the completion of the power plant was held at a venue set up nearby
It was attended by companies involved in the project
as well as representatives of TV broadcasters
The ceremony opened with a solemn Shinto ritual intended to bless the completion of the construction work
a part of the facility became inundated as a result of a typhoon that hit the area in the summer of 2017
construction was completed on schedule thanks to the coordinated recovery efforts of project members
who must have greeted this day with great emotion as they no doubt recalled the obstacles they had overcome to get there
 &ldquo;The completion of this plant has made the path toward achieving the Minamisoma Renewable Energy Promotion Vision clearer.&rdquo; said Kazuo Momma
the managing director of Solar Power Minamisoma-Kashima
responded by resolving to &ldquo;work hard so that the power plant becomes a well-loved member of the local community
and contributes to the recovery and growth of Minamisoma City.&rdquo; Those of us present got a real sense of how the shared determination among the assembled to rebuild Minamisoma had made possible the completion of the long-awaited facility
I joined members of the press and other attendees on a tour of the solar power plant
Coming at a total project cost of approximately 22 billion yen
Minamisoma Mano-Migita-Ebi Solar Power Plant is the largest solar power plant in Fukushima Prefecture and among the largest in the Tohoku region
It is what is termed a &ldquo;mega-solar plant,&rdquo; boasting an output of 59.9 MW
From my vantage point on a deck overlooking the area
solar panels appeared to stretch out endless to almost fill the entire landscape
(Minamisoma and Aomori Cities are about 350 km apart
roughly the same as the distance between Tokyo and Sendai.) Needless to say
I was newly impressed by the incredible scale of the power plant
which may raise fears about panels collecting grit and dust carried by gusts
that solar panel efficiency was not affected by normal accumulations of dust
and that rainfall was all that was needed to keep panels sufficiently clean
Covering this topic made it clear to me how deeply the project values its relationship with local people
I am convinced that because the rationale for the project is the city&rsquo;s post-disaster reconstruction
it is designed through and through to serve the community
the power plant is used in environmental education given to children and also as a local tourism resource
It is contributing to local job creation as well by locally recruiting licensed personnel vital to its operation
Also being studied is the possibility of commissioning the cutting of grass&mdash;an important task for keeping solar power plants viable on former farming land&mdash;to local firms
For the plant to remain in operation for decades to come
it needs to be rooted in and loved by the local community
Symbolic of Minamisoma&rsquo;s reconstruction
the sea of solar panels are sure to contribute to the local community over the years to come
and I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to witness their launch
Fukushima — Hundreds of mounted riders dressed as samurai galloped across fields and racecourses during the Soma Nomaoi traditional festival in the Soma region of Fukushima Prefecture on Sunday
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With swords at their waists and battle flags on their backs
the riders looked as if they rode out of a historical film
The riders galloped around a 1.2-kilometer circular course
then fought for flags launched by fireworks on grassy fields
it was moved up two months to avoid the heat
came to the venue to applaud the heroic display of samurai and horses working in unison
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Environmental PollutionCitation Excerpt :On 11 March 2011
the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) was seriously damaged during an earthquake and subsequent tsunami
large quantities of artificial radionuclides leaked into the atmosphere
Monitoring of the FDNPP-derived radionuclides on land and in the ocean began immediately due to considerable concern that these materials are potential risks to public health
Environmental PollutionCitation Excerpt :Previous fission nuclear accidents
such as the Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents
caused environmental pollution and led to significant harm to both human physical and psychological health (Shozugawa et al.
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Five years after a tsunami triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster
David McNeill meets the mayor of the Japanese town that was hit the hardest
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Katsunobu Sakurai’s mayoral office overlooks a lattice of dense, squat housing stretching to the Pacific coast about seven miles away. From here, he can recall watching in disbelief the towering tsunami that swept inland five years ago, drowning hundreds of his constituents and carrying away much of Minamisoma’s coastal infrastructure. Not surprisingly, he says he rarely looks out the window today. 
Mr Sakurai had been running the city for just a few months when an earthquake struck beneath the sea about 60 miles east of the city. The force of the quake – one of the most powerful in history – tugged the Pacific coastline nearly 12 feet closer to the United States. The tsunami it triggered knocked out the cooling system of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, 15 miles south. 
In the nightmarish week that followed, the city of 71,000 people was showered with fallout, triggering panic that sent most residents fleeing. Services collapsed, deliveries stopped and journalists, who might have reported the crisis, joined the mass exodus. By the time the exhausted, isolated mayor made a now-famous YouTube plea for help, fewer than 9,000 people, mostly elderly, were left.
Bound by duty and attachment to his ancestral home, Mr Sakurai stayed, steering his remaining constituents though the aftermath of the disaster. At its lowest point, the city ran out of food, petrol – and even doctors. 
Five years later, his city still licks its wounds. A veteran marathon-runner, Mr Sakurai’s long jogs take him through pockets of shuttered shops and the deserted homes of dead or missing friends. Above all, it is the silences that are striking: while the population has recovered to 57,000, thousands of mothers and children have stayed away. The city’s kindergartens are only half-full, he laments. 
“Some of the people who left still don’t feel it’s safe to return here,” he says. “Others have enrolled their children in schools elsewhere.” It’s a problem common across Fukushima’s evacuated areas, he points out: many of the working population, those aged 15-64, have built new lives outside the prefecture. “This is also the generation that has children,” he says. “Many have left for good.”
About 160,000 people fled the area in 2011; 100,000 of them remain scattered elsewhere across Japan. The central government has launched a vast clean-up operation to make their homes and farms livable again, and persuade them to return, with work crews scraping away topsoil made toxic from the rain and snow of March 2011. 
Four years after it began, this decontamination project is just one-third complete. The environmental impact of the disaster “will last decades to centuries”, predicts Greenpeace Japan in a report released this week. More than 9 million cubic metres of nuclear waste is scattered over at least 113,000 locations across Fukushima, said the environmental watchdog. 
In Minamisoma, the crews are a little over half-way through 23,000 homes, working house by house. Still, Mr Sakurai’s small corner of Japan is now less radioactive than many European cities, he says. 
Mr Sakurai has not lost his distrust of the authorities and the operator of the Daiichi Plant, the Tokyo Electric Power Company, which he says left him in the dark about what was going on. Last week, Tepco admitted it had ignored its own internal regulations by failing to announce the meltdown sooner. It was two months after the crisis began before it admitted that uranium in three of the plant’s six reactors had completely melted. 
“They [Tepco] haven’t changed at all,” says Mr Sakurai. He says the mass media in Japan is unquestioningly reporting the government line: that the disaster is over and it is business as usual in the nuclear industry. The government has approved several reactor restarts and pledged to meet about 20-23 per cent of the nation’s energy needs with nuclear power.
Returning to normality has been expensive. Making Minamisoma livable will cost $300m to $400m (£211m to £281m), he estimates; the final bill for decontaminating Fukushima will be “billions of dollars”. Decommissioning the plant, already behind schedule, will take decades. And there is still nowhere to store all its toxic waste. “It’s OK,” he says, laughing bitterly. “Japan is rich.”
Still, Mr Sakurai is optimistic. New businesses have opened. Toshiba plans to build a solar-power plant. Last year, the city was Japan’s first to issue a non-nuclear declaration, committing itself to generating most of its energy needs from renewables. The mayor himself is back in office after a landslide local election victory. 
He considers himself steady in a storm, the embodiment of his favourite poem by Kenji Miyazawa, a local literary hero whose most famous piece of writing became emblematic of the disaster: “Strong in the rain / Strong in the wind / Strong against the summer heat and snow / He is healthy and robust / Unselfish / He never loses his temper / Nor the quiet smile on his lips / That is the kind of person / That I want to be.”
Is Mr Sakurai still strong in the rain? “We have been to hell,” he says. “Compared with that, we are in good shape.”
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President and Representative Director: Daikichiro Kobayashi) announced today that it has received approval for a partial amendment to the manufacturing and marketing approval of “KOSTAIVE® for Intramuscular Injection,” a self-amplifying mRNA vaccine for protection against COVID-19
to include domestic manufacturing sites in Japan
To the uninitiated eye, ikebana might look like a simple floral arrangement. In the western world, it might be seen as a passion for bouquets of flowers. However, <a href="https://pen-online.com/culture/ikebana-the-refined-challenging-and-accessible-art-of-flower-arrangement/">this discipline goes far beyond the aesthetic dimension</a>
which emerged in Japan in around 600 and was initially practised by monks
is also a highly codified philosophical tradition
Between December 2013 and August 2014, artist <a href="http://www.katagiriatsunobu.net/sacrifice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Katagiri Atsunobu</a> used a residence in Minamisoma—a small town in Fukushima Prefecture in northern Japan that was struck by the 2011 earthquake and nuclear disaster—to undertake the project The Ikebana of Regeneration
A collection of photographs resulting from this work was later released
Katagiri Atsunobu became master of the Misasagi Ikebana school at the age of 24
Known for incorporating both traditional and modern approaches in his ikebana work
and for his collaboration with artists from different spheres
Katagiri Atsunobu creates small compositions using wild flowers
and also majestic pieces made from cherry blossoms
the residents were only allowed to return from 2016 onwards
Although life was yet to resume in the vicinity
the artist tells Pen that he &#8216;was informed about the regeneration of nature in the area by one of the curators at the Fukushima prefectural museum.&#8217; This search for signs of life in an environment marked by death &#8216;started out as frequent visits to Minamisoma to create ikebana with the local flowers&#8217;
Naka-dori &amp; the Aizu Tri-Regional Culture Collaboration Project
Struck by the devastated landscape and destroyed homes
the artist was also touched by the resurgence of nature
with flowers growing in spite of the situation
He started to gather these signs of regeneration of nature and immortalised these arrangements
The flowers are presented among the debris
or skulls of animals killed during the disaster
As Min Byung Jic writes in the text <a href="http://altspaceloop.com/exhibitions/sacrifice-in-fukushima-the-ikebana-of-regeneration-offered-to-the-future" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accompanying an exhibition at the Alternative Space LOOP in Seoul</a>
this series is &#8216;like a sort of ceremony
a performance transcending the simple act of floral arrangement … Relative to human beings’ limited life-spans
flowers are given new life at their last living moments facing death
It is because they blossom again as eternal beauty at the moment of death and life
flowers signify and symbolise renewal and revitalisation.&#8217;
When asked about the impact of this experience on how he considers his own existence
Atsunobu Katagiri explains: &#8216;I think I became more humble to nature
I think I am more keen on the idea of a sustainable cycle of life
I finally purchased a big property in the rural area of Osaka where I live
I am currently planting trees and flowers on that land
My future dream is to be able to create my ikebana work just using things that I grow.&#8217;
Sacrifice — The Ikebana of Regeneration (2015), a book of photographs by Katagiri Atsunobu, is <a href="http://www.seigensha.com/books/978-4-86152-522-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published by Seigensha</a>
A History of Japanese Women in Photography
Traditional tattoos were strong signifiers; murderers had head tattoos
The series 'Hysteric Ten' by photographer Sawatari Hajime revisits one of the most sulphurous relationships in Japanese art
Nagisa Oshima made Sada Abe the heroine of his film
defying the codes of 'pinku eiga' that make men the focus of attention
This rice soup seasoned with miso is served by a monk to Ashitaka
one of the heroes in Hayao Miyazaki's film
we interviewed its founder and chief representative
Innovation and pioneering residents bring hope to Fukushima
Eleven years after calamity forced her to abandon her birthplace
NEMOTO Liana is back home again.NEMOTO was a student in Japan’s Fukushima prefecture when
the combined earthquake and tsunami disasters
and the nuclear accident interrupted her life
Odaka ward was immediately put under a strict evacuation order which lasted until 2016
But instead of remaining to pursue her career
drawn by the chance to make a difference and live a more flexible lifestyle
This is a place where we can take on challenges and try to solve problems ourselves
She applied the knowledge about solving problems creatively learned in Tokyo to a business incubator founded by WADA Tomoyuki
The Odaka Worker’s Base mission is to create business opportunities to support returning residents
WADA and his team established Odaka Worker’s Base as a coworking space where people returning from the city could continue to work remotely
it was necessary to provide dining options
so they recruited local women to launch a cafe
they opened a supermarket.“If there is a problem to be solved
we will solve it by creating a business around that very issue
Business is not only a way to scale up and make money but a way to solve problems,” says WADA
“Rather than making an impact or changing society
we want to make our ideal lifestyle in this town that once had nothing left.”
the goal is to do better than returning things to how they were—by redesigning communities that truly serve residents.That “build back better” model
was actually born seven years ago in Japan for the U.N
Sendai Framework for global disaster protection.Under this model
Fukushima presents a new frontier; a rare chance for dreamers and independent spirits to start fresh and rebuild something better than it was before.“Since this town was evacuated and had to start again from scratch
it makes it possible to think out of the box about creating the future we want
This is the region&#8217;s great potential.” explains WADA
Fukushima presents an opportunity to create a new society here
which could be a model community where people can live comfortably and sustainably
Rebuilding a better Fukushima has meant targeting the right mix of human resources and technological innovation necessary for a robust and resilient future.At the Robot Test Field in Minamisoma City
unmanned aircraft and autonomous rescue vehicles are under development to shock-proof the region against future
Dozens of universities and research institutes are field-testing robots on land
and air at what is now one of the Japan’s largest airspaces for unmanned aerial vehicles
I’d like to make Fukushima a hub for innovation that creates revolutionary robotic technologies
We are working on ways to apply advancements in robotics to enable the future society we want to build
Japan&#8217;s largest green hydrogen plant opened in 2021 to supply enough energy to power about 4,500 households
When tennis champion OSAKA Naomi completed the Olympic journey to light the torch last July
it was powered by zero-emission energy created at the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field.Technology
and human potential are uplifting regional revitalization and bringing a much sought-after upgrade to Fukushima’s future
The combined effect of courage and creativity has created a fresh start on a future story that its people will be able to tell
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Ahead of the 10th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake
writer Yu Miri spoke to Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Shinya Machida in Tokyo about her connection to the disaster-hit area
The following is excerpted from the interview
when I visited Fukushima Prefecture after the Great East Japan Earthquake
I wanted to see the cherry blossoms blooming in the Yonomori district in the town of Tomioka and other areas before they were designated as no-entry zones due to the nuclear power station crisis
I started commuting to Minami-Soma in Fukushima Prefecture from Kamakura [in Kanagawa Prefecture]
I started hosting a program called “Futari to Hitori” (Two and one) on temporary disaster radio station Minami-Soma Hibari FM
in which I listened to the stories of local people
including schoolteachers and people who lost family members
When I cried while listening to a woman who lost her parents in Onagawa
she told me not to let my tears be the end of the story
I felt responsibility in listening to her story
I was obsessed with the existence of “me” when I was young
I was writing novels in the midst of a “self hell,” in which I felt like I was waiting for myself even after running away from my own heavy
But I fell apart after I heard the stories of many people in the disaster-stricken area
What came out of the experience was “Tokyo Ueno Station,” which won the U.S
National Book Foundation’s National Book Award for Translated Literature
I had thought that people overseas would like to read stateless works that could be easily translated into any language or easily understood in any country
But I received the award for [my novel that tells] a local story featuring a man from the Yasawa district in Kashima Ward
I currently run a bookstore called Full House in Odaka Ward
The owner of a nearby fish shop would come to my store to buy a period novel
and a person who was a worker of some kind would purchase a thick book because there was no TV in his dormitory
I feel that meeting others in a book is more important for many people when it is difficult to interact with others due to the influence of the coronavirus pandemic
I have consistently written for “people who have no place to go.” In the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake 10 years ago
there are many people who can easily fall beyond loneliness with just one wrong step
As their children and grandchildren who used to live with them have left for the cities
We should not forget that for people in Fukushima
this is the second time that they have had to wear masks and stay confined indoors
The first was the nuclear accident in 2011
an earthquake registering a maximum intensity of upper 6 on the Japanese seismic scale hit off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture
After an inspection by the Minami-Soma city office
I received a certificate of quake damage for my house
If we had been hit by such a strong tremor at a mealtime
I want to reweave my unraveled self and write novels
Christmas cards continue to be exchanged between children living in now war-torn Ukraine and students in an area heavily affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster
355 Christmas cards were sent from Ukraine for distribution to children in the Odaka district of Minami Soma
The children in Minami-Soma attend municipal-run elementary and junior high schools in the Odaka district
The Ukrainian schools in the exchange include the 25th School in Zhytomyr
a city on the midwestern part of the country
that was bombed by Russia in March last year
The 25th School teaches children from elementary school to high school age
What first connected Zhytomyr and Minami-Soma
which are more than 8,000 kilometers apart
Zhytomyr is around 100 km southwest of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant
The city was blanketed with radioactive fallout from the nuclear accident there in 1986
Minami-Soma is located near Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima No
Messages on the cards from the Ukrainian children highlighted the impact of Russia’s invasion
“Our parents are military men who guard us on the war field,” one message read
but now we’ve also got to know what war is
Many cards depicted a map of Ukraine or used blue and yellow
One Ukrainian child even wrote in Japanese
18 students in the fifth or sixth grade at the Odaka Elementary School sent Christmas cards to Ukraine at the end of November with messages in English
Students at the Odaka junior high school held a fund-raiser and donated the money to Ukraine
The friendship between the two cities’ children started through Kyoko Tomura
a director at a nonprofit organization in Nagoya called the Association to Help Chernobyl
the NPO based itself in Zhytomyr and provided support to the victims
The exchanges continued despite disruptions caused by Russia’s invasion
the children were deprived of a place of learning by the bombing of the 25th School
The city’s students are now taking online classes
The students in the Odaka district keep sending words of encouragement to their Ukrainian friends
“I hope I can be even a little help for them,” Sae Ijima
a sixth-grader at the Odaka Elementary School
Tomura said she will work toward a continuation of the children’s friendship
“The fact that they still exchange cards as in the past is a miracle and gives mutual encouragement to the children,” Tomura said
‘Ghost of Kyiv’ manga a big hit in Ukraine
Ukrainians’ plight reminds ex-detainee of Soviet camp
Japanese doctors share disaster know-how with Ukrainians 
Ukrainian scholar offer evacuees helpful word cards 
Volunteers turn battlefield photos into interactive map of Ukraine
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Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is a well-established cancer screening method
and its effectiveness depends on maintaining a high participation rate in the target population
we analyzed the trends in CRC screening participation rates over 10 years in Minamisoma City
where residents were forced to evacuate after the 2011 triple disaster in Fukushima
The immunochemical fecal occult blood test is provided as municipal CRC screening
We calculated the annual CRC screening participation rate and analyzed the factors associated with participation in screening
4069 (12.3%) and 3839 (11.7%) persons participated in CRC screening in 2009 and 2010
the number decreased significantly to 1090 (3.4%) in 2011 when the earthquake occurred
Multivariable logistic analysis showed that age &lt; 65 years
and evacuation were significant associated factors for non-participation after 2011 (p &lt; 0.05)
the CRC screening participation rate decreased significantly during the Great East Japan Earthquake but recovered over the next 3 years
Further analysis of factors preventing CRC screening participation and research on the long-term effects of its post-disaster decline are important to consider in assessing the need for intervention in post-disaster cancer screening
Elucidating the factors that influence participation rates in CRC screening is vital in achieving well-structured colorectal cancer screening
Challenges to cancer treatment and prevention efforts in such disruptive settings are thus highlighted
there has been insufficient evaluation of the impact of cancer screening
whose effectiveness can take several years or more to verify
we present the trends in CRC screening participation rate over 10 years before and after the disaster in Minamisoma City
located 14 to 38 km from the nuclear power plant and one of the areas most affected by the disaster
there was a mixture of areas that did or did not require evacuation
the population of Minamisoma City consists of groups that were affected in different ways by the evacuation
Surveying the health status of the residents in this area will help to estimate the post-disaster impact of the evacuation on the population
Clarifying the long-term trend in CRC screening in Minamisoma City will enable us to identify the challenges in the medium and long terms after the disaster
We conducted a retrospective observational study to analyze the trends in CRC screening participation rate among the citizens listed in the basic resident register of Minamisoma City
The main outcome was participation in municipal CRC screening
but a screening that the city provided for those who wanted to participate
The Minamisoma city invites residents to participate in CRC screening annually
using the immunochemical fecal occult blood test (iFOBT) by latex agglutination immunoturbidimetry (2 samples)
The participants were required to pay 400 yen per person (approximately 3.7 USD)
Eligibility for the screening is limited to residents who will be ≥ 40 years old at the end of the fiscal year
eligible residents are mailed a screening application form asking if they wish to participate in CRC screening
These will be sent out at the same time as invitations for other cancers and health examinations
Those who wish to participate in the screening returned the form by mail
the city sends test containers to those who answer to participate
the invitation to apply was sent out in mid-January before the earthquake
which allowed the recruitment to be done as usual
the city sent an application form to evacuees outside the city asking if they wished to participate in the CRC screening based on their evacuation registration information
they are allowed to participate in the CRC screening at a designated medical institution
at the evacuation destination municipality
and the Minamisoma city collected the results
We integrated and analyzed the basic resident register and the CRC screening database
The basic resident register is updated every March and contains IDs that identify individuals
The evacuation statuses were categorized as evacuation outside the city
a person was assessed as living alone or living with family members (≥ 2 people)
This study was conducted with two targets for each analysis
there is no upper age limit for the age at which people are recommended to undergo colorectal cancer screening
In order to avoid including very elderly people in the analysis who cannot practically receive screening and to make the results more generalizable
we set an upper age limit for the analysis
The time-series change in the number of CRC screening participants from 2009 to 2018 was determined for the target population annually
multivariable logistic analysis was performed on the association of age (40–64
and living alone or living with family and participation in CRC screening from 2009 to 2018
Analyses were performed for each year and all years combined
we examined the association between evacuation status and participation in CRC screening in addition to the aforementioned factors
Evacuation status was analyzed in terms of the following three conditions: (a) not evacuated vs
and (c) not evacuated plus evacuated to the city vs
We performed multivariable logistic regression analysis for each year and all years combined and stratified the analysis by evacuation status
We include the residents for whom enrollment data were available for all years from 2009 to 2018 and who were 64 years old or younger in 2009 (74 years old or younger in 2018) in the analysis
Based on screening participation in 2009 and 2010
the residents were divided into three groups: those who participated in (1) both 2009 and 2010
We analyzed the difference in orientation toward CRC screening among individuals and the change in participation in CRC screening after the disaster
The analysis was performed using STATA ver 15.0 (Stata Corp)
and a p-value &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant
The study protocol was approved by the ethics committees of the Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital and Fukushima Medical University (approval nos
the opt-out approach was used to obtain informed consent
All methods were performed in accordance with the Declarations of Helsinki
</a>Trends in participation in CRC screening in Minamisoma City
The dashed lines represent participation rates
The thin line represents the number of people who did not participate
and the thick line represents the number of people who did participate
Factors other than residential district were similar after 2011; however
residence in Haramachi and Odaka Wards were both factors associated with non-participation
</a>Participation trends by tendency to undergo CRC screening before the disaster
The line graphs with round dots show the proportions of those who participated in CRC screening in both 2009 and 2010 before the earthquake
while the line graphs with diamonds show the proportions of those who participated CRC screening either in 2009 or 2010
and the line graphs with squares show the proportions of those who did not participate CRC screening in 2009 or 2010
This study aimed to estimate the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent disasters on CRC screening among residents of Minamisoma City
which was particularly affected by the disaster
We analyzed the results of CRC screening for 10 years before and after the disaster and showed that the disaster had significantly impacted the participation rate of CRC screening
it is reasonable to assume that the priority of screening people without symptoms has been further reduced
both short-term and long-term medical interruptions are important
and recovery efforts need to be focused on
it was unclear whether these factors had a strong impact on screening participation
particularly after the disaster; this state of evacuation may further deepen the social isolation of single people
Such disincentives to participate in CRC screening may improve with the promotion of community building in the evacuation sites after the disaster and the approach to participation in screening
availability to a medical institution capable of performing colonoscopy may have provided a good recommendation for CRC screening
and the failure to reestablish such connections upon return from evacuation indicates that barriers to health maintenance and participation in cancer screenings may not be removed
The fact that the screening rate in Minamisoma City has only risen to the pre-earthquake standard after the disaster may indicate that the effects of the disaster have not been resolved
In order to increase the participation rate in CRC screening
the solutions such as reducing the cost of iFOBT
the individual burden of colonoscopy in case of a positive iFOBT result
and disseminating public education on colorectal cancer should be actively adopted
Long-term observation of the changes in CRC incidence and treatment caused by changes in CRC screening participation rate is necessary
A decrease in the participation in CRC screening is expected to prevent a decrease in CRC incidence that could have been prevented
Although the participation rate in CRC screening was originally low in this area and the impact of the decrease in the participation rate due to the disaster may be small
it is necessary to estimate the impact of this change on the health of the residents
It would be important to calculate it using indicators such as life expectancy loss that are general enough to compare with the impact of other environmental changes
This work will also be important in determining the priority of cancer screening projects in the acute
and long-term phases of a disaster on a similar scale
such as access to medical institutions and the history of CRC
The evacuation and environmental changes caused by the disaster may have altered access to health care facilities
which in turn may have affected the CRC screening participation rate
Although such information is not available from the current data
it is one of the important factors and should be analyzed in future studies
the actual status of CRC screening other than municipal CRC screening is unknown
two major other types of CRC screening are performed: occupational screening provided to workers and screening that individual receive of their own free will
The presence or absence of participation in other types of CRC screening was not analyzed in our study
since non-municipal CRC screening is provided by private companies and individual medical institutions
it is necessary to use the questionnaire survey of residents
municipal CRC screening conducted by local governments is the most widely utilized screening with a large target population
and the analysis of municipal CRC screening is meaningful for analyzing the trend in residents’ participation in screening
we could not use data on socioeconomic status
which is one of the factors related to colorectal cancer screening participation
The identification of socioeconomic status that is susceptible to the effects of disasters is an issue for future research
because the analysis of this study focused on participation in primary screening
it is not known regarding the positive rate of fecal occult blood or the performance of subsequent colonoscopy
These results must be included in order to accurately estimate the future impact of reduced participation in screening
the CRC screening participation rate in Minamisoma City
which was greatly affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake
decreased significantly at the year of the disaster but recovered over the next 3 years
Further analysis of factors preventing participation in screening and research on the long-term effects of the post-disaster decline in CRC screening participation are important to consider in assessing the need for intervention in post-disaster cancer screening
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author
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Masatsugu Tanaki for providing data management for this research and the medical staff of the Minamisoma Municipal Hospital for their involvement in the CRC screening program
This work was supported by the Research project on the Health Effects of Radiation organized by the Ministry of the Environment
and JSPS KAKENHI (Grant Number JP20H04354)
Present address: Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER)
had full access to all data in the study and took responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis
All authors critically revised the manuscript
and approved the submitted version of the manuscript
Akihiko Ozaki receives personal fees from MNES Inc.
Hiroaki Saito reports an honorarium from TAIHO Pharmaceutical Co.
All the other authors have nothing to declare regarding this article
<a data-test="citation-link" data-track="click" data-track-action="download article citation" data-track-label="link" data-track-external="" rel="nofollow" href="https://citation-needed.springer.com/v2/references/10.1038/s41598-021-03225-8?format=refman&amp;flavour=citation">Download citation</a>
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-03225-8
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Fukushima Prefecture--A thrilling traditional summer festival here that features formidable equestrian skills will be held earlier in the year from 2024 after more than 80 people and 100-plus horses came down with heatstroke
The “Soma-Nomaoi” (Soma wild horse chase) festival
an annual three-day event held in late July that dates back around 1,000 years
involves mounted riders in samurai warrior attire
10 to discuss changing the festival dates decided that in future the event would be held between late May and early June
aims to finalize specific dates before the end of the month and then hold discussions with the Agency for Cultural Affairs
As the festival is designated by the central government as an important intangible folk cultural asset
any change in the dates must be approved by the agency
“We hope to make a formal decision by the end of the year at the latest
taking into account the time needed for promotion and informing people about the change,” Monma told a news conference
maximum daily temperatures exceeded 35 degrees
The brutal summer heat took a toll on both humans and horses
The number of mounted samurai warriors and spectators treated for heatstroke
at first-aid stations in the city reached 83 this year
Eleven of them were rushed to hospitals by ambulances
Officials said 111 horses suffered from sunstroke
the Soma Nomaoi executive committee decided to a change in the festival dates was in order
But the panel decided the switch could not wait
Remarks made during the panel meeting ranged from “Global warming will continue” and “If the event is held at the same time next year
(horse owners) told us they won’t lend their horses” to “Won’t we be accused of animal cruelty (if we continue)?”
representatives of participating shrines expressed concern over whether they would be able to gather the necessary volunteers if the dates of the festival are changed
Local government officials indicated a willingness to cooperate in securing manpower
Ministry plans tests on reusing Fukushima soil in Tokyo area
River fishing limits remain 11 years after nuclear disaster
Municipalities are starting to scale down their 3/11 memorials
‘Why can’t we go there?’ Girl longs for first visit to Fukushima home
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See all those languages? The Lingua project at Global Voices works to bring down barriers to understanding through translation.
March 11 marked the fourth anniversary of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami" target="_blank">2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami</a>
Nearly 20,000 people died as a result of the massive temblor and resulting tidal wave
and nearly 230,000 people were forced to relocate
A Japanese blogger, <a href="http://cyberglass.hatenablog.com/entry/2015/03/11/150855" target="_blank">Takayoshi Saito</a>
has described in detail how the disaster affected the life of his youngest sister and her family
They used to live near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that itself became the scene of yet another large scale disaster following the earthquake and tsunami
The following post was translated and republished on Global Voices with permission from the author
&#8216;My Sister Built a New House With the TEPCO Settlement
Soma City is Building a New Municipal Hall&#8217;
Soma City in Fukushima Prefecture is my home town
My youngest sister and her family used to live very close to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in the township of Okuma
Her husband used to work at Fukushima Daiichi as an employee at a security company
Inc.) subsidiary in charge of facility management
the situation at Fukushima Daiichi got so frantic that no one cared about the security of the facilities anymore
So my youngest sister and her husband decided to evacuate from Okuma town with their 1-year-old daughter
I was in Tokyo, and had no luck when I tried to call my sister and my parents in Soma City. I worried about them so much, but there was nothing I could do so I killed time by tweeting stuff like &#8220;<a href="http://www.nbr.org/research/activity.aspx?id=121" target="_blank">Ohhhhhhhh, the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan is comiiiiiiiing!!!!</a>&#8220;
Only once I was able to talk with my parents in Soma over the phone
Your youngest sister and her family have evacuated to Tamura City in Fukushima prefecture
Your sister&#39;s father-in-law is staying in Okuma because he is a volunteer firefighter.&#8221;
I watched TV and learned the evacuation zone had been expanded and Tamura was now included in it
Then I lost the whereabouts of my sister and her family
I worried if they could evacuate from Tamura
The only thing I could do was browse the Internet
I read polarized discussion between two groups &#8212; one which was overly stressing the safety of the situation at Fukushima Daiichi and the other which was highly alarmed by the danger of the situation
I discovered that the first relief supplies to arrive in Soma were coffins
which I had been so keen to attend when I was a high school student
Many unidentified bodies were brought there from the coast
which had been hit hard by the giant tsunami
The Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) had also arrived in Soma and had started rescue operations
my middle sister who lived in Urawa city in Saitama Prefecture (just to the north of Tokyo) asked her police officer boyfriend to drive up north to look for our youngest sister
They found our sister and her family among other evacuees in Kita Ibaraki city (just down the coast from Soma and Okuma)
They put them in the car and drove back to Urawa city
I was such a useless brother in that time of emergency
My middle sister got in touch with me and said that she was going to share her studio apartment in Urawa city with our youngest sister and her family in a while &#8212; that would make four people living in a tiny apartment
which had also been temporarily knocked offline by the sheer number of people trying to make donations to help people affected by the disaster
I went to Urawa with the money and handed it to my sisters
Urawa was at that time experiencing planned
rolling blackouts in order to conserve power from the weakened electricity grid
and my sisters seemed to have experienced a few blackouts
my youngest sister said: &#8220;I&#39;m so happy that everyone was okay&#8221;
My youngest sister and her family stayed in Urawa for about a month before returning to Soma
where they were able to move in to one of the temporary housing allocations
When I visited Soma about one year later I saw my sister&#39;s temporary housing
It was a wooden house that was clearly built in a hurried manner; the wood at the bottom had already started to rot
I brought an <a href="http://anpanman.wikia.com/wiki/Anpanman" target="_blank">Anpanman</a> (a popular Japanese animation character) toy for my niece
but I couldn&#39;t help feeling pity for them
My youngest sister&#39;s family made lots of savings thanks to the compensation money from TEPCO
My sister&#39;s family told me that they were receiving a good amount of monetary compensation from TEPCO because the company pays even to small children
and my sister&#39;s family was therefore receiving compensation for four people
My brother-in-law seems interested in having laser eye surgery or tooth whitening
My relatives in the area do not hate TEPCO as much as TV reports
construction work has begun on a new city hall
The design for this new hall was inspired by a Japanese traditional storehouse style called &#8220;Kura-zukuri&#8221;
and I wonder if there is a surplus in the budget for recovery that they&#39;d rather spend somehow
but the little town where I used to see many guesthouses had turned into a vacant lot
Soma used to be famous for seaweed cultivation
but it seemed too early to resume the business
One time she was listening to a traditional Japanese popular song called Matsukawaura Ohashi Ondo (The Dance of the Matsukawaura Bridge) when she was driving
My mother said that this song reminded her of Soma before the earthquake. The singer of this song had been killed by the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNZ1YBkHt6c" target="_blank">tsunami</a> during the earthquake
It has been four years since the earthquake
People from Uda village walking in a parade as a part of Soma wild horse chasing festival
I visited Soma to tell my family about my latest move to a new condominium
I wished I could have returned to my hometown as someone who had accomplished a great thing
I told my parents: &#8220;I couldn&#39;t come here because I didn&#39;t have any good news.&#8221; They said: &#8220;It&#39;s your home
Takayoshi Saito (齊藤貴義) is the president of <a href="http://www.honbu.co.jp/">Sanbo Honbu</a>, a prominent Japanese web development company. Saito has worked with a number of Japan&#39;s top internet companies include Livedoor, where he led development of <a href="http://reader.livedoor.com/" target="_blank">Livedoor Reader</a>. Saito is generally known online by his Twitter handle <a href="https://twitter.com/miraihack" target="_blank">@miraihack</a>
ERROR: SECURITY TIMEOUT - Please copy your message to a backup location
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Most disasters seem to disapear from all but local news after a few weeks
The incidents involving the nuclear plant at Fukushima Daiichi however have continued to be watched around the world
The true disaster of the great earthquake and tsunami have been overshadowed by the concerns of this one nuclear plant
Hopefully Saito will continue to be a voice of reason and knowledge with personal insights into the Japanese recovery
One of the best sources I&#8217;ve found for the ongoing story of the Fukushima power plant can be browsed at HiroshimaSyndrome.com; which has an ongoing blog covering news and commentary
Authors, please  <a href="https://globalvoices.org/wp-login.php?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fglobalvoices.org%2F2015%2F03%2F22%2Fhow-one-fukushima-family-is-moving-on-four-years-after-the-great-east-japan-earthquake%2F" title="logout">log in &raquo;</a>
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TOKYO (AP) - When Etsumi Ogino saw a news photo of a pack of shelties wandering through an abandoned town near Japan's tsunami-damaged nuclear plant
she thought of her own 13-year-old canine Kein and jumped into action
a 56-year-old volunteer at an animal shelter in Chiba prefecture
She and others around Japan called Asahi.com
the website of the Asahi Shimbun newspaper
An Associated Press photographer had snapped that photo and others of the dogs on an empty street in Minami Soma city
an area evacuated because of radiation fears
the AP gave her details of where the dogs were spotted
Ogino relayed the information to a team of animal rescuers called Sheltie Rescue
the group had been getting emails from dog lovers around the country about the abandoned pack
Through emails and Internet research it was established that the owner of the dogs was a breeder in Minami Soma
The group contacted the Fukushima city branch of the Japan Collie Club
tracked the owner down by phone at a shelter and got her go-ahead to rescue the dogs
seven volunteers left Tokyo and drove over broken roads and past demolished houses to meet three other volunteers in the ghost town that Minami Soma has become
Some had prepared radiation suits and others wore simple vinyl raincoats
The first two to arrive found the pack around the Odaka train station
"They were waiting for their owner," said Tamiko Nakamura
a volunteer who went with the group from Tokyo
It took a while to entice them with snacks
and six or seven were bundled into each car
Most were taken to a veterinary clinic in Kanagawa prefecture just west of Tokyo
Others are being cared for by individuals in other areas
worn down by the disaster and worrying about her dogs
She said the owner did not want her identity revealed
Nakamura only regrets that some of the dogs in the pack ran away and countless others are still stranded in the evacuation zone
"There are still some left behind," she said
"I'm concerned about them and want to pull them out."
Associated Press writer Eric Talmadge and photographer Hiro Komae spotted the dogs in Minami Soma on April 7
<a href="/ajw/opinion/vox/">Vox Populi</a>
Vox Dei is a daily column that runs on Page 1 of The Asahi Shimbun
The JR Joban Line’s northbound train rumbled along the coast of Fukushima Prefecture
I got off the train at Odaka Station in the city of Minami-Soma
walked across the deserted open space in front of the station
and arrived at the Futabaya Ryokan inn close by
1 nuclear power plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co.
this neighborhood was evacuated by government order in the immediate aftermath of the March 2011 nuclear disaster
It remained a ghost town for the next five years
It was hand-drawn by local residents who took it upon themselves to measure the levels of radiation in the area every year and marked their findings on the map in red and blue
“The government would never bother to conduct any thorough survey
so we decided we had to do it on our own,” said Tomoko Kobayashi
On the day the Great East Japan Earthquake struck
violent jolts were followed by a deadly tsunami
booming sound and were told to flee quickly because the nuclear power station appeared to be in serious trouble
the residents had always been assured of their safety
But how unfounded that promise proved to be
And how frightening it must have been to realize that in a flash
we were all made painfully aware in March 2011 that
we could no longer remain so naive as to talk about safety or danger in simple terms
what is all this frenetic motion that’s going on now
the government has changed course to “maximum utilization” of nuclear power and scrapped its policy of “reducing the nation’s reliance on nuclear power generation as much as possible.”
Why is the government reverting to nuclear power when it doesn’t even have any clear prospects for decommissioning nuclear reactors or know where to dump radiation-contaminated soil
Kobayashi said she intends to keep measuring the radiation levels
there will be no future for us,” she observed gravely
Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics
the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture
air services scaled back in Kanto region during typhoon
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United action on a global basis only way to defeat the pandemic
Japan — The doctors and nurses at Futaba Hospital pleaded for help as a radioactive plume wafted over their hospital
They had been ordered out but had no vehicles to evacuate the hundreds of patients in their care
After two days of waiting in the cold with no electricity
Nearly two dozen patients died in the chaotic
Japan&#39;s government says only one person
an overworked employee at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant
died as a result of the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl
details from a new report and interviews with local authorities show many more perished because of bad planning and miscommunication between government agencies
if the calamities that unfolded on March 11
hundreds of thousands of lives would still be at risk
hospital administrators and disaster response officials interviewed by The Associated Press
They say little has been done to fix systemic planning shortfalls and communication problems between government agencies that compounded that day&#39;s horrors
&quot;We have set a terrible precedent for the rest of the nation and for any town in the world where nuclear plants are located,&quot; said Katsutaka Idokawa
one of two towns straddled by the devastated Fukushima facility
&quot;I see this disaster as a meltdown of Japan itself.&quot;
a nuclear disaster management official at Japan&#39;s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency
said the government was reviewing its contingency plans — extending the regulations to cover up to 18 miles (30 kilometers) from a nuclear plant — because of the problems with the Fukushima evacuation
particularly with hospitalized and handicapped people
But officials in several towns around Japan where nuclear plants are located told the AP that they are not confident their emergency plans would work any better than Fukushima&#39;s
They say it could take months and require a complete re-examination of how to approach evacuations for significant improvements to be made
The breakdown in Japan&#39;s crisis response was most striking in the evacuation of Fukushima&#39;s sick and elderly
According to a 400-page report released last month by the Independent Fact-Finding Committee on the Fukushima Nuclear Accident — a panel of scholars
lawyers and industry experts — 784 patients were evacuated from six Fukushima hospitals within the 12-mile (20-kilometer) no-go area
Of 435 at Futaba Hospital and a related senior care center
21 died either in buses en route to evacuation centers
before they could be admitted to another medical facility
Jin Ishida&#39;s grandfather was one of them
who is in charge of crisis management in Okuma
which is adjacent to Futaba and also hosts part of the Fukushima nuclear plant
said the disaster overwhelmed local authorities
&quot;It was complete chaos,&quot; he said
our phone lines were clogged by a flood of incoming calls
We didn&#39;t have contingency plans for hospitals — even the firefighters didn&#39;t have a plan.&quot;
Ishida scrambled to arrange for buses to evacuate patients from Futaba Hospital and its nursing care unit
He managed to get several and went outside the town hall to make sure they arrived
But as the situation deteriorated the next day
drivers and transportation company workers fled or refused to come to Okuma because of radiation fears
Ishida&#39;s 96-year-old grandfather was among the second batch of patients to leave
a city farther away but partially in the no-go zone
96 residents at a nursing home were evacuated in a similar manner on March 19 as they ran out of medicine and faced starvation
but we were left with no choice,&quot; Sakashita told the AP
&quot;There is no doubt in my mind that if there had been better planning in advance by the city
The same is true for the people who died while being evacuated from Futaba
Their deaths were a direct result of the nuclear accident.&quot;
He said that 26 of the residents from his facility had died by the end of the year
The government does not dispute that the evacuations may have caused deaths
but has not included them in its official death tolls
Doing so would open the door for compensation claims
which the power company that runs the plant is &quot;open to consider,&quot; according to company spokesman Osamu Yokokura
He could not confirm if any such claims have been made yet
told the AP that they had no nuclear evacuation plans before the disaster
because Japanese regulations only require towns within 6 miles (10 kilometers) of a nuclear plant to make them
Tokyo&#39;s failure to update local leaders and health officials on the situation at the plant further heightened their sense of isolation
&quot;The government repeatedly issued evacuation advisories and then changed them,&quot; said Dr
a surgeon who heads the Futaba District Medical Association
&quot;Administrators had to find out through the media what was going on
which had to make plans on the spot and then completely change them as the zone widened.&quot;
Japan&#39;s government has acknowledged that coordination between national and local officials and plant operator TEPCO was severely flawed
It put the onus for establishing detailed evacuation
transportation and supply storage plans on local governments but also criticized Tokyo for not giving them the backup they need
These measures &quot;should not be left up to the local municipal governments
but need in addition to involve the active participation of the prefectural and national governments,&quot; its Cabinet-appointed committee concluded in an interim report issued in December
But that would require fundamental changes that are not
Roughly one-quarter of the primary-response hospitals for nuclear emergencies in the 13 prefectures (states) in Japan that host commercial nuclear power plants are within 6 miles (10 kilometers) of a reactor
That rises to 41 percent within a 12-mile (20-kilometer) radius
Because hospitals outside the 6-mile (10-kilometer) range had not previously been considered to be in danger of an evacuation
few have even a rudimentary contingency plan
who now runs a clinic for evacuees living in temporary shelters
said every community near a nuclear plant should have at least one hospital built like a fallout shelter
so that doctors can take care of the ill until it is safe to evacuate
He said he and other doctors have pushed for this for years
I don&#39;t think any community is safe,&quot; he said
all but two of Japan&#39;s 54 reactors are offline
and with the public&#39;s trust of the nuclear industry shattered by the Fukushima disaster
the schedule for restarting them is unclear
Japan relied on nuclear power for one-third of its electricity
a disaster management official in Omaezaki City
home to the Hamaoka nuclear power plant south of Tokyo
said the government&#39;s handling of the Fukushima crisis was &quot;obviously poor.&quot; Hospitals have been instructed to re-examine their evacuation plans
and he said that they are doing so without help from Tokyo
&quot;We now know that we cannot wait around until the (central) government does something for us,&quot; he said
Reconstruction and land development in coastal areas of the Tohoku region are nearly complete
13 years after the destruction caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami
Tohoku municipalities have struggled to attract new residents
And many survivors of the disaster have relocated and have no plans to return to their communities
The quake and tsunami devastated the region of northeastern Japan on March 11
Those directly killed in the disaster totaled 15,900
while the number of missing people decreased by three from last year to 2,520
The number of people who died in the aftermath of the disaster increased by about 100 over the past six years to 3,802
and nearly 90 percent of them are from Fukushima Prefecture
The population has noticeably risen in and around Sendai
the capital of Miyagi Prefecture and the largest city in the Tohoku region
Prefectural data shows a 12.7 percent population decline in 43 coastal municipalities across Iwate
Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures compared with pre-disaster figures
The rate of decline is 3.5 percentage points higher than the average across the three prefectures
In 11 municipalities in Fukushima Prefecture
less than a fifth of the pre-disaster figure
The population has plummeted by more than 80 percent in Namie
Some areas within these four towns and three other municipalities remain designated as “difficult-to-return zones” due to radiation contamination from the crippled Fukushima No
Evacuation orders were mostly lifted in July 2016 for the Odaka district of Minami-Soma
located 20 kilometers north of the stricken nuclear plant
but it has since remained flat at 30 percent of the pre-disaster level
Many of the current residents are elderly people who returned from their evacuation sites
The rest are newcomers who have moved in to work on the decommissioning of the nuclear plant or to start new businesses
Local businesses and communities continue to face challenges related to the nuclear disaster
has banned imports of Japanese fishery products since the discharge of treated radioactive water into the ocean from the Fukushima plant started in August
To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on fossil fuels
Japan plans to rely more on nuclear power for its energy needs
The Diet last year passed a bill that extends the operating life of a nuclear reactor to more than 60 years
2 reactor at its Onagawa nuclear power plant in Miyagi Prefecture around September
The reactor has remained offline since the 2011 quake and tsunami
(This article was compiled from reports by staff writers Daisuke Yajima and Hideki Motoyama and senior staff writer Noriyoshi Ohtsuki.)
Rebuilt areas underoccupied; community ties still shattered
Fukushima Prefecture posts 2,335 deaths tied to 3/11 disaster 
Residents of Fukushima tally 90% of current 3/11 evacuees 
Post office in Fukushima open again 13 years after disaster 
<a href="/ajw/special/2011Disaster/">2011 Disaster</a>
Fukushima Prefecture--Runa Hoshiyama is starting to ask questions that her mother is reluctant to fully answer
Many of the girl’s queries are directly related to events that occurred on the day she was born nearly 10 years ago
One such question came in October last year when Runa was in the backseat of a car driven by her mother to see the blockbuster hit anime “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” at a commercial complex about 70 kilometers south of their home in Minami-Soma
When the fourth-grader was looking out the window
a building overgrown with ivy on a national road caught her attention
A nearby side street was closed to vehicular traffic
“What is that building that looks like a haunted house?” the 9-year-old asked
(Ivy has) covered the walls because it has been left unattended for a long time.”
The neighborhood is designated as a “difficult-to-return zone,” where radiation levels have remained high since the triple meltdown at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima No
1 nuclear power plant following the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami
their family home in Tomioka town was located about 7 kilometers from the nuclear plant and they were forced to evacuate
The entire town later became a no-entry zone
Mayumi worked mainly as a tour guide at the No
trained to teach visitors the mechanism of power generation and the safety of its system
Although well-versed in how nuclear power plants work
Mayumi had to grapple with unfamiliar terms during her time as an evacuee
such as low-dose exposure and thyroid glands
Worried about the effects of radiation on her daughter
Mayumi avoided using tap water for baby formula and let the girl play outdoors for only up to one hour
She also made it a rule to thoroughly wash Runa’s tiny hands after returning home
evacuees were allowed to visit some areas in Tomioka during the day as decontamination and recovery efforts progressed
when evacuation orders were lifted for certain areas of Tomioka to allow people to live in the town
Although it has been almost four since then
the Hoshiyama family is still not allowed to freely visit their Tomioka home in the difficult-to-return zone
“Why do buildings remain broken?” Runa asks her mother
Mayumi is not sure how to tell her daughter about the nuclear disaster and what happened to her hometown
The nuclear power plant was at the center of the community
meet her future husband and start a family because of her work there
Mayumi wants to use her own words to explain to Runa some day what the family went through and how she felt
but she also feels it may be too early for the girl to fully understand the story
Mayumi said she wants to take her daughter to the Tomioka home
the row of cherry blossom trees that is the symbol of the town
and the beach where she went on a date with Koichi
Those aged 14 or younger are required to refrain from entering difficult-to-return zones
When Mayumi and Runa opened a photo album in their home in Minami-Soma in January this year
“Because there is a promise that you can go there when you turn 15,” the mother replied
Tanaka-signed baseball turned life around for tsunami victim
Artist trudges 5,000 km with ‘house’ on his back after 3/11
Ashes of dog who lost owner on 3/11 taken back to her hometown
App for disasters rooted in ‘Evangelion’ a big hit in Japan
All spent fuel finally removed from reactor at Fukushima plant
Museum on 2011 disaster to add details on what went wrong 
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who has surfed the waters off Fukushima Prefecture for nearly half a century
was in his home not far north of the Fukushima No
when a devastating earthquake and tsunami struck Japan
His home and surf shop in the city of Minamisoma were swept away by the massive wave that wrecked the plant
setting off meltdowns and fears of radiation that led to widespread evacuations.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); });
But the tanned, wiry 68-year-old is not worried about plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings&#39; <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/08/25/japan/fukushima-water-release-survey/">release of treated wastewater that began on Thursday</a>
which triggered protests and prompted China to ban imports of all Japanese seafood
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Sumitomo CorporationSumitomo Corporation Tohoku Co.
Ltd.Toshiba Energy Systems &amp; Solutions CorporationTaisei Corporation
Sumitomo Corporation (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku
President and Chief Executive Officer: Masayuki Hyodo) and Sumitomo Corporation Tohoku Co.
Miyagi Prefecture; President and CEO: Tsutomu Morikawa; hereinafter
“Sumisho Tohoku”) (these two companies are hereinafter collectively referred to as “the Sumitomo Corporation Group”) have engaged in a solar power project (hereinafter
“this Project”) in the Haramachi-higashi district of Minamisoma City (Fukushima Prefecture) through Solar Power Minamisoma-Haramachi Co.
the power plant was completed and has since gone into commercial operation
a group of financial institutions was organized by Mizuho Bank
Tokyo; President and CEO: Koji Fujiwara; hereinafter
while Toshiba Energy Systems &amp; Solutions Corporation (Head Office: Kawasaki City
Kanagawa Prefecture; President and CEO: Mamoru Hatazawa; hereinafter
“Toshiba ESS”) and Taisei Corporation (Head Office: Shinjuku-ku
Tokyo; President and CEO: Yoshiyuki Murata; hereinafter
“Taisei”) were placed in charge of engineering
This Project aims to contribute to the reconstruction in Fukushima Prefecture from the Great East Japan Earthquake
The solar power plant generates the capacity of 32.3MW that will entail the installation of around 120,000 solar panels in the land(approximately 46 hectares) belonging to Minamisoma City that was damaged by the tsunami in 2011
The electricity generated by this plant is equivalent to the consumption of around 10,000 typical households
and will supply to retail electric power companies on the basis of Feed-in Tariff (FIT) system
The Sumitomo Corporation Group already operates the largest solar power plant in Fukushima Prefecture in the Kashima district of Minamisoma City (commenced commercial operation: March 2018; generation capacity: 59.9MW)
the Group is now responsible for mega-solar power generation projects providing Fukushima Prefecture with electricity that totals 92.2MW
Minamisoma City formulated the “Minamisoma City Renewable Energy Vision”
which aims to replace the city’s entire power consumption with renewable energy power generation by 2030
The Sumitomo Corporation Group will contribute in promoting renewable energies in Minamisoma through this Project
Sumitomo Corporation is actively involved in developing and operating renewable energy power generation projects worldwide
and it currently possesses 1,000MW in generating capacity
It will be directing future effort toward discovering promising renewable energy and other electric power or infrastructure project opportunities
pursuing these both inside and outside Japan
Sumisho Tohoku is actively engaged in renewable energy project such as this Project
Yamagata Prefecture) and other renewable energy projects in the Tohoku region
It is also pursuing its endeavors in agriculture
in aims to support further development of the local communities
Mizuho Bank organized the project finance for this Project as an arranger
A mega-bank with 10 business locations in the Tohoku region
it secures financing for renewable energy power generation projects such as this Project
and also helps out in restoration efforts by supplying recovery funding and supporting “sixth-sector industrialization” of the agricultural
The bank will continue to marshal the full capabilities of the Mizuho Group to assist earthquake-afflicted areas
including product prices and specifications
content of services and contact information
is current on the date of the news release 
but is subject to change without prior notice
<a href="//mainichi.jp/articles/20240607/ddm/001/040/110000c">Japanese version</a>
the past and the present come together at this festival in Fukushima Prefecture
Around 400 horse-riding flag-bearing samurai warriors in armor sprinting across the fields is a sight that warps all sense of reality
But it opens a convincing portal to the past for three days straight in Soma City and Minamisoma City
The Soma Nomaoi festival takes place every year
and is an important intangible folk cultural property of Japan
The Soma region is a famous horse-breeding area and it has the Chinese character for horse in its name to prove it
Legend has it that the Soma Nomaoi event was founded 1,000 years ago by a distant ancestor of the Soma clan
What used to be a military exercise transformed into a Shinto ritual to pray for peace
Soma Nomaoi festival has successfully adapted to the times while keeping most of its traditions going to this day
History marks the end of the samurai in Japan and the start of the Imperial Meiji Restoration in the second half of the 19th century
But an end to a military class doesn’t mean an end to traditions interwoven with rich local culture
with traditional samurai armor being worn and the chanting of the Soma Nagareyama song
Many of the participants own their armor and horse
but some can borrow them from locals or equestrian clubs
greeting the Supreme Commander who gives the starting signal
warriors blow into conch shells and everyone departs for the Hibarigahara Festival Grounds
Participants gather in three main shrines: Soma Nakamura Shrine (Soma City)
The procession can be watched in any of the three locations
There is a pre-race on the evening of day one
but the Soma Nomaoi culmination is undoubtedly on day two
It starts in Haramachi-ku in Minamisoma City with a joint procession of all three groups of samurai from day one now combined called Ogyouretsu (Grand Procession)
is held at noon in the Hibarigahara grounds
Ten races with ten horsemen in each race complete a 1,000-meter loop
One hundred samurai with ancestral flags streaming behind them
as if just materialized from history books
The day ends with the Shinki Soudatsusen battle
in which yet another 100 samurai compete for two flags shot into the air with cannons
Participants look at the flags launched from the cannon
The festival winds down with the sacred Nomagake ritual
Inspired by the legend about Taira no Masakado and his wild horses
this activity is all about catching unsaddled horses with bare hands
they’re dedicated to the Odaka Shrine as sacred horses
A legendary festival with a deep and fascinating history
Soma Nomaoi is not in the business of giving up
Adversity only brings out the true samurai spirit
Even though the area was affected by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami
they speedily decontaminated the festival ground and held a scaled-back version as soon as 2012
the 2020 pandemic also threw a spanner in the works
taking a page from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games book
the festival took place without spectators in 2021
The samurai spirit of the local residents and participants means they are already preparing for 2022
For more information go to the festival’s official website: <a href="http://soma-nomaoi.jp">soma-nomaoi.jp</a>
Are you familiar with a song titled “Gunjo” (Ultramarine blue)
Sung at schools around Japan in recent years during the annual graduation season
it originated at Odaka Junior High School in Minami-Soma
where the tsunami and nuclear disaster triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011 forced the student body to scatter all over the nation
The lyrics were strung together from the students' casual conversations
One verse goes: “'See you later,' I wave to my friend/ But will I see you again?/ I still remember your smiling face receding into the distance.”
Local residents are proud of how this song has spread nationwide
He was forced to live in Hokkaido for years as an evacuee
But when the evacuation order was finally lifted
to return to Odaka with him and start a farm together
the Tomitas named their harvested rice “Gunjo-mai” (Ultramarine rice)
They had visited Odaka Junior High School and received the principal's permission
The nuclear disaster reduced the population of Odaka to one-third of what it was before the quake
There was no way of stopping the ownerless rice paddies and crop fields from going barren
“All our rice harvests have been examined and confirmed safe for consumption
but we are still having trouble regaining people's trust,” lamented Yusuke
“I was sorely reminded of the gap between safety and peace of mind.”
“We want to reintroduce Odaka's tasty rice to the nation
where reconstruction work was in full swing with cranes and trucks coming and going nonstop
But the ravages of the tsunami could not be erased
vivid memories become dyed in ultramarine blue,” goes the song
forming a sharp contrast with white birds in the sky and a black cargo ship
I prayed that people will once again be able to look at the ultramarine sea with contentment
“Let's meet again in the ultramarine town.”
Farmers in Fukushima plant indigo to rebuild devastated town
Fukushima locals are prepared for next big quake
Novelist Yu Miri: Olympics not helping Fukushima rebuilding
VOX POPULI: Fall not only brings maturity but also vitality and freshness
VOX POPULI: Satirical songs from early 20th century resonate in the Reiwa Era 
.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By <a class="byline__authorLink" href="https://www.cleveland.com/staff/cleveap/posts.html" title="Associated Press">Associated Press</a><a class="full-size-popup" href="http://media.cleveland.com/world_impact/photo/kunio-shiga-japan-tsunami-strandedjpg-56343b333c384016.jpg" target="_blank">View full size</a>Hiro Komae
Associated PressKunio Shiga listens to a battery-powered radio in the living room of his home in Minami Soma
inside the deserted evacuation zone established around the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex in northeastern Japan on Friday
The 75-year-old man was stranded alone in his farmhouse ever since Japan's monstrous tsunami struck nearly a month ago
His house was intact but strewn with fallen items.Eric Talmadge
Japan -- The farmhouse sits at the end of a mud-caked
the decaying carcasses of dead pigs and large debris deposited by the March 11 tsunami
He cannot walk very far and doesn&#x27;t know what happened to his wife
His neighbors have all left because the area is 12 miles from the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant -- just within the zone where authorities have told everyone to get out because of concerns about leaking radiation
When a reporter and two photographers from the Associated Press arrived at Shiga&#x27;s doorstep Friday
the scared and disoriented farmer said: &quot;You are the first people I have spoken to&quot; since the earthquake and tsunami
&quot;Do you have any food?&quot; he asked
Shiga gratefully accepted the one-liter bottle of water and sack of 15-20 energy bars given to him by the AP
which later notified local police of his situation
He said he has been running out of supplies and was unable to cook his rice for lack of electricity and running water
Temperatures at night in the region have been cold
The Odaka neighborhood where he lives is a ghost town
Neighboring fields are still inundated from the tsunami
The only noise comes from the pigs foraging for food
Local police acknowledged they have not been able to check many neighborhoods because of radiation concerns
As radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant has fallen in recent days
the police have fanned out inside the evacuation zone to cover more areas
they were busy searching for bodies two miles from Shiga&#x27;s farmhouse
many mobilized from Tokyo and wearing white radiation suits
pulled four bodies in an hour from one small area in Minami Soma
They had found only five bodies the previous day
later broke away to see if it could find any residents living inside the evacuation zone
Some construction workers directed them to a part of town where some houses were intact
The farmhouse where Shiga&#x27;s family has grown vegetables for generations is at the end of a long mud- and rubble-covered road blocked by fallen trees and dead and decaying animals
The journalists spotted the relatively undamaged house about 500 yards away
Unable to drive on the road because of the debris
they navigated the rest of the way on foot
Shiga was seen wandering in front of his house but went inside
He said he spent his lonely days since the disaster sitting in bed in his dark home and listening to a battery-powered radio
&quot;The tsunami came right up to my doorstep,&quot; he said
&quot;I don&#x27;t know what happened to my wife
Shiga said he was aware of the evacuation order but could do nothing about it
since he is barely able to walk past the front gate of his house
His car is stuck in mud and won&#x27;t start
The AP journalists asked Shiga for permission to tell the authorities about him
and they went to a police station to tell them about the stranded farmer
The police said they would check on him as soon as they could
&quot;I&#x27;m old and I don&#x27;t know if I could leave here
staring blankly through his sliding glass doors at the mess in his yard
But I don&#x27;t have water and I&#x27;m running out of food.&quot;
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This interview is part of a series of articles marking the 10th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake
Here we share the thoughts of people from many walks of life about this unforgettable tragedy
The Kodaka district of Minami Soma is in an area of Fukushima Prefecture that was declared a disaster zone in 2011
following the meltdown of the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.&nbsp;
but it is the town bestselling author Miri Yu calls home
where she listens to the concerns of local residents
many of whose former neighbors have yet to return.&nbsp;
Interested in why this prize-winning Japanese author would take such a step
The Sankei Shimbun’s Misaki Owatari recently caught up with her to ask about her thoughts on the region
I had just started writing the book when the earthquake and nuclear power station disasters occurred
the central government declared an evacuation zone for a radius of 20 kilometers around the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
and prohibited unauthorized entry into this restricted zone from midnight April 22
I thought that maybe I could do something to help
even if it was only to listen to what people needed to say
There had been various confrontations and frictions regarding establishing the damages and other compensation [stemming from the nuclear reactor meltdown]
It was hard to get local people to talk about these things
but I’d been told that since I was an outsider it was actually easier for people to discuss such matters with me.&nbsp;
Although my program was only scheduled to run for 30 minutes
in some cases the person I was interviewing would talk for two hours
I also recall going out with a person from whom I had received a letter after a broadcast
and listening to what people in the town had to say.&nbsp;
They hadn’t really wanted to talk about what had happened to them on that terrible day
but they found that when they spoke of those things for the first time
the weight they had been carrying somehow felt lighter
The impact of COVID-19 has been very severe
windows in the schools in Fukushima were kept closed and people wore masks
They experienced something close to lockdown conditions
So you have to realize that this is the second time they have had to go through all this.&nbsp;
People were evacuated and dispersed throughout Japan following the March 11 disasters and many have yet to come home
but the return flow peaked in September of last year and has been trending downwards since then.&nbsp;
In a place where the community has been devastated by a nuclear accident
there is a feeling that the same thing might happen again before long.&nbsp;
There are local businesses that somehow got up and running
The financial reward is certainly not there
Although they might act as small beacons of hope in what is otherwise utter darkness
desire alone will not be enough to help them make a go of it.&nbsp;
I think it is important to draw everyone’s attention to the 10th anniversary of the earthquake
but the COVID-19 situation is awful in its own right
There is anxiety that in their preoccupation with the coronavirus
in effect it has taken over the “recovery” title.&nbsp;
something extraordinary happened in March 2020 when service resumed for all the stations on the Joban Line
People made sure to ride the train on the first day
You could see people crying and waving all along the line
although it wasn’t really reported on.&nbsp;
There is an old man I know who lost his wife when they were living in temporary housing
There are so many things I would like to discuss with him
The sadness and pain he has endured is just too much.&nbsp;
I’d like to try to keep my place open and listen to such people for as long as possible
The most important thing they could do is come here
but we can’t say that at this time [because of COVID-19 travel restrictions]
People end up just looking at the situation based on the information they get in the media
they would be able to judge things on the ground with their five senses
Just gazing out at the recovery area from a train on the Joban Line
or getting off at local stations at random and walking around
That I can’t just tell people “Come here and see!” is very painful
But at least keep Fukushima in your thoughts
she became an actress in the Tokyo Kid Brothers troupe before going on to form her own theater group
winning the Kunio Kishida Drama Award for her play Sakana no Matsuri (The Festival of Fish) in 1993 and the Akutagawa Prize for her novel Kazoku no Shinema (Family Cinema) in 1997
In 2015 she moved to the town of Minami Soma
and in 2018 she remodeled her home to create a bookstore
named after a 1996 short story she wrote.&nbsp;
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FUKUSHIMA--A sign along the Manogawa river that runs through Minami-Soma
but the message is clear--and perhaps unnecessary
“Regulations have yet to be lifted,” it says
“Please do not conduct fishing activities.”
The sign is located on a riverbank about 30 kilometers north of the stricken Fukushima No
1 nuclear power plant run by Tokyo Electric Power Co
The area used to be crowded with people trying to catch “ayu” (sweetfish)
But anglers from near and far stopped visiting the area long ago
a local association of fisheries cooperative set up the “no fishing” signs at about 50 locations along the river
Calls to suspend shipments of river fish and to refrain from fishing have continued since the nuclear disaster started 11 years ago
“ugui” (Japanese dace) and “yamame” (masu trout) were found with concentrations of radioactive substances that exceeded the national safety standard
‘I don’t think I can go fishing again in my lifetime,” said Yukiharu Mori
who owns a fishing goods store in Minami-Soma
and many other fishing goods shops in the city’s area have gone out of business
The nuclear disaster led to restrictions on shipments of seafood products in five prefectures
These restrictions have been lifted in stages because radioactive substances more easily diffuse in the sea
and fish species have been confirmed safe to eat
the shipment restrictions apply only to “kurosoi” (black rockfish) caught off Fukushima Prefecture
But all restrictions remain for catches from 25 rivers and lakes in five prefectures--Fukushima
In some areas along the Agatsumagawa river in western Gunma Prefecture
shipments of “iwana” (char) and yamame are still restricted
radiation doses were relatively high in certain areas around the Agatsumagawa river immediately after the nuclear disaster due to the wind direction and geographical features
That has led in part to the prolonged restrictions
the radioactivity concentration level in iwana was 140 becquerels per kilogram
the level for yamame was 120 becquerels per kilogram
The national standard for both fish is 100 becquerels per kilogram
“Even when the figure goes down and we think it is safe
we find fish with high figures every few years,” a Gunma prefectural official said
“That makes it difficult for us to take a step toward lifting the restrictions.”
an associate professor of fish biology at Fukushima University
said river fish “have continued to consume radioactive materials from food” provided through forests that have yet to be decontaminated
The central government has conducted decontamination work mainly in residential areas of Fukushima Prefecture and surrounding prefectures
But such work has not been done in most parts of large forested areas
Insects and other critters ingest still-contaminated tree leaves or algae at river bottoms
which has kept radioactive concentrations high in the fish
A team of researchers from Fukushima University
the Fukushima prefectural government and the National Institute for Environmental Studies has surveyed areas along the Otagawa river that stretches from Namie to Minami-Soma in Fukushima Prefecture since 2018
The study includes checking radioactivity levels in the river fish and insects
The upper part of the Otagawa river is located in a “difficult-to-return” zone because of still-high radiation levels
the researchers found the radiation dose rate in the air of an upstream forested area within the difficult-to-return zone was 2 to 3 microsieverts per hour
That level was 20 to 30 times higher than the dose rate in the city of Fukushima
The researchers also found up to 9,000 becquerels of radioactive materials per kilogram in yamame caught in the upper portion of the river in 2018
and up to 12,000 becquerels per kilogram in iwana
The radioactivity concentrations in tree leaves and river algae were several thousand to tens of thousands of becquerels
bees and other land and aquatic creatures found in the yamame’s stomachs are believed to have eaten the contaminated leaves and algae
Insects in the area contained radioactivity levels of several hundred to several thousand becquerels
a team member and a chief researcher at the NIES
said that larger yamame had radioactivity concentration levels that were higher than those in the food that the fish ate
“Unless you do something about the radioactive materials in forests
the radioactivity concentration levels in fish will not go down,” she said
“But decontaminating forests is not realistic
(This article was written by Keitaro Fukuchi and Nobuyuki Takiguchi.)
Survey: Not a single prefecture backs reuse of radioactive soil
Evacuees spend 1st night at home in Futaba since nuclear disaster
Rare species in Fukushima raise hopes for end to radiation rumors 
Doubts grow on water-release schedule at Fukushima plant 
Keywords:　<a href="../keywords/energy_policy.html">Energy Policy</a>　<a href="../keywords/local_government.html">Local government</a>　<a href="../keywords/renewable_energy.html">Renewable Energy</a>　
<a href="../../files/news_150627_en.jpg"></a>This map prepared by JFS is based on a map made by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_Japan_with_highlight_on_07_Fukushima_prefecture.svg" target="_blank">Lincun</a> some rights Reserved
Minamisoma City in Fukushima Prefecture became the first city in Japan to release a non-nuclear power declaration on March 25
More than 10 thousand citizens of Minamisoma continue to experience life as evacuees as the result of the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011
The article to follow is reproduced in edited form with permission from Smart Japan
Smart Japan is an online publication specializing in energy conservation
Non-Nuclear Power declaration of Minamisoma City shows its determination
Minamisoma City suffered unprecedented damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11
the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant forced the evacuation of over 60 thousand citizens from their homes
A large number of citizens lost their lives on the way to or after arriving at evacuation sites
communities and regions are being torn apart
with many continuing to suffer from fear of the long-term effects of radiation exposure
Minamisoma City faces the challenge of rebuilding against the backdrop of this historic disaster
We have a responsibility to re-build communities where children can dream and hope for the future
and to prevent such nuclear accidents from ever happening again
the people have decided to build a new city that does not depend on nuclear power
Minamisoma City here declares to the world its intention to be a nuclear power-free city
Reconstruction Planning Department of Minamisoma City (in Japanese)<a href="http://www.city.minamisoma.lg.jp/index.cfm/8,23464,75,html" target="_blank" class="linkout">http://www.city.minamisoma.lg.jp/index.cfm/8,23464,75,html</a>
over 600 people were killed in the Great East Japan Earthquake
Due to the radioactive contamination caused by the subsequent accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant
had temporarily fallen to less than 10,000
more than 10,000 people lived in other cities as evacuees
the city set three basic principles; promotion of energy saving
positive use of renewable energy and establishment of a smart community
To eliminate its dependence on nuclear power
the city presented a measure to increase self-sufficiency to 64 percent by 2020
Solar and wind power are the core of renewable energy
and 20% of their generation potential would meet the target level for 2030
If the construction of mega-solar power generation planned by Minamisoma city and Toshiba Corp.
annual power generation will exceed 100 million kWh
more than 60 percent of the target level for solar power generation in 2020
The city plans to implement procedures to convert a farm land into solar power generation facilities under its reconstruction maintenance plan
 Copyright Fukushima Solar and Agriculture Experience Association All Rights Reserved
"Minamisoma Solar Agripark" where a solar power plant with a generating capacity of 0.5 megawatt has been constructed started operations in March 2013
In the two domed plant factories on its property
vegetables are cultivated using electricity generated by the solar power plant
Growing safe vegetables using renewable energies
it has been positioned as a symbol of agricultural revitalization toward disaster recovery
Minamisoma city intends to realize a recycling-oriented "Eco-friendly Future City"
Along with securing the environment for locally produced renewable energy for local consumption
the city will build smart communities of 30 households per village
it plans to create a circulating local industry that encompasses everything from production
processing and sales to energy supply of agricultural products
Overcoming radioactive contamination damage and continuing efforts to create a city for future generations will lead to disaster restoration
These thoughts are expressed in the document of the "Declaration for a Nuclear Power-Free City"
How seriously do electric companies and the government take this declaration
the movement to reopen nuclear power plants has steadily continued
Cities such as Minamisoma city need to carefully consider the pros and cons of the plants to be restarted after assessing the situation of communities that are struggling to overcome radioactive contamination
Source: <a href="http://www.itmedia.co.jp/smartjapan/" target="_blank">Smart Japan</a> (in Japanese)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License
A giant maze is seen in a field of rape blossoms in the Kaibama district in Minami-Soma
which was hit by the tsunami during the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake
a 51-year-old local farmer who lost his two children and parents in the tsunami
formed a volunteer group to promote the area
and in 2013 they began building a maze like this one
which has become a popular spot that welcomes about 10,000 visitors each spring
it echoed with the laughter of children running around
Admission is free and the maze will be run through May 5
64-year-old Koji Suzuki grabs his board and checks out the surf crashing onto the Fukushima coastline
is around 30km north of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and he still has vivid memories of March 11
when a towering tsunami triggered by a magnitude-9.0 quake surged inland
The ruthless waves also wiped out his entire coastal neighbourhood of some 70-strong households
leaving everything behind except two shortboards that happened to be in his getaway car
the beach was littered with debris from broken houses
The meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi plant
the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl
was still causing radiation to leak into the environment
But Suzuki was determined to get back into the water
where several currents collide to make it one of the best surfing spots in the country
but the ocean was there just like before..
I thought if I didn’t go into the water now
this shore would be dead forever,” he said
After ensuring radiation levels were not dangerous
he stepped back into the waves — as rescuers were still raking the beach for the missing and their bodies
That day marked the resumption of his decades-long surfing passion
“I surf about 250 days a year,” said the veteran
“I take a break only on New Year’s Day and the day after
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is keen to use the upcoming Tokyo Olympics to showcase Fukushima’s recovery
planning to start the Japan leg of the torch relay from there
Abe’s government also lifted an evacuation order for parts of Futaba
one of two towns hosting the nuclear plant
surfing is making its Olympic debut in part of a drive to make the Games more interesting for young people
The event will be held on Tsurigasaki Beach
Suzuki said he appreciates that Fukushima may receive a boost from being portrayed in the media as “safe” but does not believe in the “Recovery Olympics” touted by the government
“I can never go back to the same place where I used to live and run my shop..
And despite government efforts to renew its image
the Fukushima nuclear crisis is far from over
Japan is agonising over what to do with around one million tonnes of contaminated water stored in tanks at the plant site
groundwater and rain that seeps into the plant daily
is filtered to remove most of the isotopes but one — tritium
has backed Japanese plans to release the water into the ocean
describing it as a practice “done elsewhere.”
while local fishermen are concerned about reputational risks
a professor at Fukushima University who has examined radiation levels onshore
said safe data do not necessarily lead to people feeling safe
“The radiation levels here are no different from those before the nuclear accident,” he said
“We just need to keep checking and disclosing data in a timely fashion
showing they are no higher than (safety) standards.”
Suzuki does not doubt the science but opposes plans to release the water
saying the reputational risks could be “a drag” on his homeland
“I just want to share this feeling with people who feel the same way
the city of Minamisoma officially opened Suzuki’s home beach to visitors for the first time since the accident
“It was a wonderful feeling to see children frolic in the rough water of the shore
They hadn’t even tasted salty seawater until then,” he said
hopes his passion for surfing will never again be interrupted
“When I turn 70 and a shortboard becomes too tough to manoeuvre
I am thinking about switching to a longboard.”
In a deserted part of Fukushima Prefecture dotted with vacant lots
a woman with a ponytail wearing purple protective eyeglasses carefully melts a tiny glass tube into the shape of a plum blossom
young people peer at computer screens in an airy co-working space with a terraced seating area
plants and a hammock.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); });
Odaka Pioneer Village in Minamisoma is run by a venture company whose novel programs are capturing attention for addressing a serious problem facing the communities near the stricken nuclear power plant: How to bring young residents back
Hundreds of armor-clad participants on horseback parade through the streets of Minamisoma
during the Soma Nomaoi festival on a typically blistering hot day at the end of July every year
the parade is actually the precursor to a breathtaking show of horsemanship that is performed at the local racetrack later the same day.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); });
Carrying gargantuan flags emblazoned with clan imagery
riders guide their horses around the track at breakneck speed in an electrifying race before participating in a flag-catching ceremony that harkens back to the savage battles of the Sengoku period (1482-1573)
is around 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and he still has vivid memories of March 11
I thought if I didn't go into the water now
this shore would be dead forever," he said
he stepped back into the waves -- as rescuers were still raking the beach for the missing and their bodies
"I surf about 250 days a year," said the veteran
"I take a break only on New Year's Day and the day after
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is keen to use the upcoming Tokyo Olympics to showcase Fukushima's recovery
Abe's government also lifted an evacuation order for parts of Futaba
Suzuki said he appreciates that Fukushima may receive a boost from being portrayed in the media as "safe" but does not believe in the "Recovery Olympics" touted by the government
"I can never go back to the same place where I used to live and run my shop..
is filtered to remove most of the isotopes but one - tritium
describing it as a practice "done elsewhere"
"The radiation levels here are no different from those before the nuclear accident," he said
"We just need to keep checking and disclosing data in a timely fashion
showing they are no higher than (safety) standards."Suzuki does not doubt the science but opposes plans to release the water
saying the reputational risks could be "a drag" on his homeland
"I just want to share this feeling with people who feel the same way
the city of Minamisoma officially opened Suzuki's home beach to visitors for the first time since the accident
"It was a wonderful feeling to see children frolic in the rough water of the shore
They hadn't even tasted salty seawater until then," he said
"When I turn 70 and a shortboard becomes too tough to manoeuvre
I am thinking about switching to a longboard."
four-wheeled crawler robot designed to clear rubble and save lives in areas with complex terrain was unveiled at the Kikuchi plant in Minami-Soma Fukushima
previously a designated no-go zone during the nuclear disaster crisis
The robot is a collaboration between Waseda University&#8217;s Future Robotics Organization and the Kikuchi Corporation
The robot can traverse uneven terrain by utilizing two arms and its crawlers
Robots of this variety generally focus on performing one function at a time on flat terrain
the Octopus robot&#8217;s ability to utilize its four wheels and crawlers to traverse complex terrain and rubble and its ability to utilize all four of its arms simultaneously thanks to its hydraulic capabilities allows it to perform a wide range of tasks such as clearing rubble and fallen trees
the robot uses its two rear arms to support its body while climbing with its two front arms and crawlers
Each arm is capable of lifting objects of up to 200 kilograms and all four arms can be used to lift the robot&#8217;s body from the ground
This type of robot that can utilize four arms simultaneously is very rare
Presently the robot is operated by two people from a remote location but is expected to be operated by one in the future
Image courtesy of Waseda University&#8217;s Manga club
&#8220;We are planning to establish a research facility in Kikuchi Minami-Soma plant
We hope to overcome the obstacles that come with natural disasters and an aging society
and use this robot to bring new industries to Fukushima prefecture
Fukushima Governor Masao Uchibori examining the Octopus robot
The Octopus robot was revealed at a conference for the Fukushima Disaster and Medical Welfare Project
Professor Masakatsu Fujie&#8217;s robot was presented alongside other robots designed to deal with the issues presented by the Fukushima nuclear disaster and assist in reconstruction efforts
&#8220;The revitalization of Fukushima&#8217;s industries is essential and we are becoming a hub for innovation in robotics
Robotics are extremely important for Japanese industries and we must challenge ourselves to produce wonderful products and continue developing Minami-Soma.&#8221; Katsunobu Sakurai
Many employees left  and spread themselves across Japan but an enthusiasm to rebuild Minami-Soma has reinvigorated our robotics initiatives
Kikuchi Corporation&#8217;s enthusiasm has persisted despite the government&#8217;s no-go zone designation and for that I would like to express my gratitude.&#8221; The mayor continued by expressing his hopes for the robotics industry and his desire to revitalize Minami-Soma
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o governo anunciou sua pol&iacute;tica de acelerar os esfor&ccedil;os de recupera&ccedil;&atilde;o para cancelar as instru&ccedil;&otilde;es de evacua&ccedil;&atilde;o enviadas a todas as zonas
com exce&ccedil;&atilde;o das zonas de dif&iacute;cil retorno em mar&ccedil;o de 2017
e permitir que os residentes retornem &agrave;s suas casas
A migra&ccedil;&atilde;o de volta aos lares est&aacute; gradualmente come&ccedil;ando
essas &aacute;reas (371 km 2) ocupam 2.7% das &aacute;reas da Prefeitura de Fukushima (13,783km2)
&Aacute;rea de retorno dif&iacute;cil (&Aacute;rea de acesso restrito)&Aacute;rea em que a dose cumulativa estimada da taxa de dosagem a&eacute;rea n&atilde;o pode ser menor que 20 mSv
mesmo passados 6 anos ap&oacute;s o desastre nuclear
(&Aacute;rea em que a dose estimada cumulativa anual excedeu 50 mSv em mar&ccedil;o de 2012)
Zona de Habita&ccedil;&atilde;o Restrita&Aacute;rea em que a dose cumulativa anual estimada nas taxas do ar tenha sido confirmada acima de 20 mSv (mar&ccedil;o de 2012)
Zona de prepara&ccedil;&atilde;o para revoga&ccedil;&atilde;o da zona de evacua&ccedil;&atilde;o &Aacute;rea em que a dose anual cumulativa estimada das taxas do ar foram confirmadas como sendo menores que 20 mSv (mar&ccedil;o de 2012)
As diretivas de evacua&ccedil;&atilde;o previamente emitidas ainda continuam em todas as tr&ecirc;s &aacute;reas
e nas &quot;zonas de dif&iacute;cil retorno&quot; a entrada &eacute; restrita por barreiras f&iacute;sicas (exemplo: barricadas)
Na &quot;zona de habita&ccedil;&atilde;o restrita&quot; e nas &quot;zonas preparat&oacute;rias para revoga&ccedil;&atilde;o de ordem de evacua&ccedil;&atilde;o&quot;
a entrada &eacute; restrita para todos os que n&atilde;o s&atilde;o autorizados
apesar de n&atilde;o haver restri&ccedil;&atilde;o de entrada durante o dia
<a href="http://www.meti.go.jp/earthquake/nuclear/kinkyu/pdf/2015/0619_01.pdf" target="_blank">Para mais informa&ccedil;&otilde;es sobre restri&ccedil;&otilde;es de tais atividades, confira &quot;sobre as atividades nas &aacute;reas sob ordem de evacua&ccedil;&atilde;o (P&aacute;gina da Minist&eacute;rio da Economia, Com&eacute;rcio e Ind&uacute;stria)&quot;. (Somente em japon&ecirc;s.)</a>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; J-Village which was suspended due to the nuclear accident
partially restarted its operation on July 28
2018.The prefectural government will make use of J-Village as a symbol of revitalization to centralize and promote soccer and other sports as well as work to stop the spread of harmful-rumors generated in the wake of the nuclear disaster.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;&nbsp; J-Village will be an important platform from which the prefecture will be able to show the rest of Japan and the world its strong progress towards revitalization
a hospital affiliated to Fukushima Prefectural Futaba Medical Center&nbsp;opened in Tomioka Town
The hospital provides 24/7/365 emergency medical services and will facilitate home medical checks and nursing care upon request from regional medical institutions.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; From a medical capacity it will also support the development of an environment where regional residents can live with a peace of mind; an environment where people engaged in the reconstruction projects can work without concern; and an environment where business entities can advance without anxiety
&nbsp;&nbsp; Due to the aftermath of the nuclear power accident
Odaka districtof Minamisoma City and Naraha Town were forced to run elementary and junior high schools in Kashima district and Iwaki City respectively
In 2017,&nbsp; they returned to their towns and resumed school operations for&nbsp;the first time in six years
&nbsp;&nbsp; In April 2018 local schools are set to resume in the five municipalities:Yamakiya district in Kawamata Town
municipal and national governments are united in their efforts to continue positive&nbsp;school development
the previously closed Route 114 was re-opened to vehicle traffic
Route 114 runs for approximately 27km between Tsushima and Muroharain Namie Town
As this is a main road connecting Fukushima City with Namie Town
it is expected that it will make things more convenient for residents in Namie Town and adjacent municipalities as an evacuation route as well as a route for transportation of emergency goods and pesonnelin the event of a disaster
It's re-opening is expected to further accelerate restoration and reconstruction projects
&nbsp; Commercial facilities which will support the reconstruction were opened in Yamakiya district
These facilities aim to support the livelihoods of returnees
with retailers providing daily commodities
'Tonya no Sato' or 'Home of Wholesalers' has an area devoted to providing information on the reconstruction efforts as well as a multi-purpose square
Madei Hall is a place where residents can meet and relax
displayed and sold in the building adding to the relaxed vibrant atmosphere
&nbsp;&nbsp;Fukushima Prefectural Government is addressing the recovery of J-Village which is under suspension due to the disaster
&nbsp;&nbsp; We are planning not only to restore the pre-disaster condition but also build a more attractive facility
we are developing a new accommodation building with all weather training field in a scale of the whole soccer ground to partially resume the operation in summer of 2018 and fully resume in April
J-Village will be a training camp for representatives of Japanese male and female soccer players
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We are reconstructing a new J-Village which will gain popularity among people as a symbol of revitalization of the prefecture
JR Joban Line resumed operation between Haranomachiand OdakaStation following the lifting of evacuation orders to MinamisomaCity
a ceremony to pledge revitalization was organized by MinamisomaCity
&nbsp; JR Joban Line is expected to resume full lines by the end of March 2020
a commercial complex &quot;Shopping Center YO-TASHI&quot; was opened in KawauchiVillage
housing Family Mart Kawauchithat sells fresh food
There is a community space available for exchanges between villagers
This is expected to facilitate residents' return and revitalization as well as recovery of the community after their return
&nbsp;&nbsp;The facility is equipped with a mock-up of a part of a nuclear reactor containment vessel
and serves as a hub of decommissioning research by TEPCO
&nbsp;&nbsp;Full operation started from April
the new clinic&nbsp; is&nbsp; established in NarahaTown in order to help the recovery of Futaba County&nbsp; and develop an environment for the return of residents
Okuma&nbsp; Town FurusatoRevitalization Mega Sola Power Plant was completed in Okawaradistrict which is a hub of reconstruction for Okuma Town
Annual output is about 2,200MWh that covers power consumption by about 600 households
Part of sales revenue of electricity is being used for the operation of plant factory to be constructed in Okawaradistrict by Okuma Town
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