It's true that much has already been said about the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster. Still, with the one year anniversary of the disaster having just past, this article gives good perspective on how much has happened in one year. It was interesting to learn that 70,000 people have been displaced as a result of the radiation scare, and towns within the perimeter of the 12-mile exclusion zones have literally become ghosts towns. This line from the article is particularly telling:
"What's most unsettling is that at first glance everything looked normal. On closer inspection, all the stores on the once busy street have been abandoned. One store still had a "Let's Be Happy" sign painted on the side. It's was mark of better times. Now, traffic lights flashed, but there was no traffic. Streets were full of houses left in haste. A few unfortunate cows roamed the empty streets. Big towns and small towns had become ghost towns."
Fukushima holds a special place in my heart, as it was the last city I served in on my mission. Fortunately, the city was too far inland to be in danger of evacuation, but the people of that prefecture are still suffering from the disaster. While we won't have the opportunity to visit any disaster sites on our trip, I think it is important for us to remember the impact this disaster has had on the entire country while we are there.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57395780/a-rare-look-at-the-fukushima-daiichi-no-go-zone/
Trevor Habermeyer
The disaster in Japan was definitely a tragedy that won't be forgotten soon. It's cool to see that Japan is looking forward and doing all it can to recover.
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