I can’t believe it’s already three years since the Fukushima disaster struck. Thousands of people were forced to flee their homes and had to rebuild their lives elsewhere, because of the high levels of radiaition. Japanese photographer Noriko Hayashi documents the struggle of some of the victims, who feel the government has abandoned them.We don’t want their stories to be forgotten, so have sent six activists to Japan to meet the victims and spread their stories. Here is just a glimpse of their life after Fukushima.
Bags of decontaminated soil and grass are left near farmer's Hiroshi Kanno's original house in Iitate village.
Hiroshi Kanno checks radiation level near his new farm in Fukushima city. He used to grow 35 different kind of vegetables on 2.5 hectares of land. He and his family live now in a temporary house and can't settle down.
Katsutaka Idogawa, former mayor of Futaba town, Fukushima prefecture, collects and checks materials about the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster at his house office where he evacuated in Kazo city, Saitama Prefecture, 70 km north from Tokyo central.
Pictures of victims of the accident of nuclear power plant which a former mayor of Futaba town, which Katsutaka Idokawa collected.
Kenichi Hasegawa, a dairy farmer evacuated from Iitate village, Fukushima prefecture. He lives in a temporary house in Date city, 15 km away from Fukushima city central.
Kenichi Hasegawa's empty cowshed in Iitate village, Fukushima prefecture. Before Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, he owned 50 dairy cattle but he had to put all of his cows down before his evacuation. Mr. Hasegawa now lives in a small temporary house in Date city, 15 km away from Fukushima city central.
Minako Sugano, a mother of three children and former kindergarten teacher in Date city talks about her concerns about vegetables harvested in Fukushima in school lunches.
Minako Sugano hangs children's clothes inside her apartment room. "I don't want to hang our clothes outside because of concern of contamination."
Kenji Fukuda, an attorney at law with Waseda Legal Commons. He has been working for victims of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. He maintains the current compensation system helps the nuclear industry and not the victims.
Tatsuko Okawara, an organic farmer performs a puppet show at her organic and fair trade shop, one story is a about a couple affected by a nuclear disaster.
Tatsuko Okawara at her organic and fair trade shop named "Esperi" , meaning "Hope" in Miharu Town.
Greenpeace Poland Nuclear Campaigner, Iwo Los buys produce from Tatsuko Okawara (left) and her husband Shin at their organic and fair trade shop in Miharu Town. © Alex Yallop/Greenpeace
