More than 150,000 people were forced to leave their homes after the Fukushima nuclear disaster struck Japan in March 2011, turning once-bustling towns into eerie ghost towns almost overnight.
Families saved up with only the essentials, thinking they would return soon, but many never did. In the rush to escape the radiation, thousands of pets and farm animals are left behind with little hope of survival. As the days turned into months, they wandered the empty streets and abandoned farms in search of food and its owners. Amid the devastation, one resident made an extraordinary decision: he returned to the exclusion zone to care for the forgotten animals.
Who is he Naoto Matsumura The man who came back after Fukushima Nuclear disaster?
Naoto Matsumura is a resident of Tomioka, a town located within the evacuation zone surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Like thousands of others, he initially left after the government ordered residents to evacuate. However, he soon realized that his animals, along with thousands of other animals, had been abandoned. Unable to ignore their suffering, Matsumura returned to the exclusion zone. What started as a mission to care for his pets soon became a lifelong commitment to helping every animal he could find.
What happened during the Fukushima nuclear disaster?
On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan, generating a massive tsunami. Waves more than 14 meters high ravaged the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, disabling cooling systems and causing meltdowns at three reactors. Hydrogen explosions released radioactive materials into the surrounding environment, leading to one of the largest evacuations in Japanese history.
More than 150,000 residents were ordered to leave their homes, and a 20-kilometre exclusion zone was established around the damaged factory.
Thousands of animals were left behind
The emergency evacuation prioritized human lives, leaving little time to rescue pets or transport livestock. Many dogs and cats were trapped inside homes, while cattle, horses, pigs and chickens remained in abandoned farms without food or water. Some owners thought they would be allowed back within days, but prolonged exclusion means many animals are left to fend for themselves.
Investigations later found that many of the animals died of starvation or dehydration, while others roamed abandoned towns in search of food and their missing owners.
Daily mission inside the exclusion zone
Matsumura dedicated his life to feeding and caring for the remaining animals. Every day he traveled through deserted streets carrying bags of animal feed, water and supplies. He took care of abandoned dogs, stray cats, cattle, horses, pigs, and even ostriches from a nearby farm.
Some frightened animals gradually learned to trust him, while others remained close to him after receiving food and care. Despite limited electricity, scarce resources, and the ongoing challenges of living within an exclusion zone, he continued his work without expecting recognition.
Was it safe to live in the exclusion zone?
Living within the exclusion zone presented real risks because radiation levels were much higher than normal in many locations after the accident.
Matsumura underwent regular health monitoring to measure his radiation exposure. Although his accumulated dose was higher than that of the general public, medical experts reported that it remained much lower than many people assumed, in part because he was spending most of his time outdoors rather than in heavily contaminated buildings.
Matsumura often said he accepted the risks because he believed the animals had no one else to help them.
Support arrived gradually
In the early days, Matsumura relied largely on his design and limited supplies. As his story spread through newspapers, documentaries and social media, volunteers, veterinarians and animal welfare organizations began to support his efforts. Donations of animal feed, medicine, protective equipment and food enabled him to continue caring for hundreds of animals over the following years.
His remarkable commitment earned him international admiration and a title “Fukushima animal ranger.”
The legacy of the Fukushima guardian
Although many evacuation orders have since been lifted and some residents have returned, Fukushima’s recovery continues more than a decade after the disaster. Matsumura’s actions became a symbol of sympathy amid one of the world’s worst nuclear accidents. His story has also sparked discussions about including pets and livestock in disaster evacuation planning so future emergencies don’t leave animals behind.
In a landscape marked by loss and devastation, his unwavering dedication remains a reminder that even in the darkest moments, kindness can endure.