15 years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster displaced at least 164,000 people and left thousands of pets abandoned, a 63-year-old former plant worker devoted his life rescuing over 1,000 animals
In the shadow of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, one man has become a true hero. A former worker at the ill-fated power plant has devoted the last 15 years of his life taking care of Japan’s forgotten pets.
Toru Akama, a 63-year-old former Japanese worker at the now-infamous Fukushima nuclear power plant has been caring for animals rescued from the disaster. The pets were abandoned when their owners had to evacuate in haste after the triple disaster.
15 years on, Akama has managed to find adoptive families for over 1,000 animals, and continues to take in new ones. The selfless man said he has spent almost all the compensation he received following the accident on the animals.
He reportedly still covers most of the costs for their care and food, despite receiving only a few donations. On March 11, 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan suffered a catastrophic accident triggered by the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, leading to a major release of radioactive material.
While the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation found no documented adverse health effects directly attributable to radiation among Fukushima residents, the disaster resulted in at least 164,000 people being permanently or temporarily displaced, causing at least 51 deaths due to evacuation and related stress.
As of 10 years later, over 41,000 people remained evacuees. The clean-up and compensation costs were estimated at 20 trillion yen (£140 billion), and the incident is considered the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.
With the thousands of people displaced and leaving their four-legged best friends behind, Akama found a purpose. He told AFP: “It’s because of this plant where we worked for years that these animals are in this situation.
“They should have been able to continue living their lives as pets, but because of the accident they were abandoned. I felt it was my duty to protect them.
“It’s as if people were abandoning their own children.” Akama said he will never forget the scene the day after the disaster when residents were ordered to evacuate and a never-ending line of cars on the main road passing right in front of his house formed, L’Essentiel reported.
Akama recalled: “Then the dogs started wandering, looking for food – at least those that weren’t chained up. There was nobody left, just my wife and me, handing out food.”
Akama then began to take the animals into his home and 40 dogs quickly turned into 50, and more. In the last 15 years he has managed to find adoptive families for more than 1,000 animals, and continues to take in new ones.
He says he felt “indignant” at all the abandonments. Akama exclaimed: “Some owners do it with remorse, but others simply because the animals have become an inconvenience.
“Of course, in those moments, priority is given to humans, but animals are living beings too, members of the family. It’s as if people were abandoning their own children.”
At the time, residents had to reportedly flee by coach, where animals were not allowed. Akama said: “There were elderly people in tears, asking if someone could take their animal.”
A month after the Fukushima disaster, Akama was also forced to evacuate, but he returned daily to care for the abandoned animals. He subsequently spent almost all his compensation on their food and care.
The survivor explained: “Because they had known hunger, I absolutely wanted to give them a good life.” Now, having handed over his business to his brother, he devotes himself full-time to 47 cats and seven dogs.
He said: “You never stop. To be honest, I feel my old job was easier.”
As he grows older, Akama worries about finding a successor. However, he admitted: “If I can keep going, it’s because I carry within me the distress these animals have experienced. That’s what keeps me going.”
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