His name is Naoto Matsumura, a farmer in Fukushima Prefecture who refused to leave when the government ordered evacuation after the disastrous release of radiation from the nearby nuclear reactors in March 2011. He stays to take care of the many abandoned animals of all kinds, "the sentient beings", he calls them, which the government and Tepco nuclear power company have done nothing to care for.
More below the fold.
The 52-year-old Matsumura has voluntarily exposed himself to dangerous levels of radiation in order to take care of the many abandoned animals in the region, as related in this article; excerpt follows:
The refugees from Fukushima (Tomioka) have abandoned their houses, their belongings, their cars, their pets, but they hoped to come back afterwards. The last people who were resisting the orders like Matsumura, felt they had to give up the fight. TEPCO, the private operator of the Fukushima nuclear power plant, after first denying any meltdowns later revised their statements to acknowledge the core of three reactors had melted down and that the “problem” might still be actually solved… after 30 years. Matsumura notes that “TEPCO and the Japanese government have never stopped lying, out of their good will, in order to avoid panic among the population. Such good intentions, of course."...
Matsumura has been looking after 400 cows, 60 pigs, 30 fowls, 10 dogs, more than hundred cats and an ostrich. The ostrich was the official mascot of TEPCO; they brought it to the town, allegedly. The ostrich was supposed to represent energy efficiency. The ostrich needs very little food to survive and thrive; it’s a very energetic animal....
“What happened to the animals is that, when the people of Tomioka evacuated in March, everybody opened the gates and the cages of the animals. They left their animals alone or returned them to nature, and especially the cattle and the pigs have become wild and they are currently living in the wilderness where they are growing.
Many animals, such as some cows, were not so lucky and were left confined to their stalls without food and water, to die a horrible death. Dogs roaming the area have been caught in traps intended for wild boar, resulting in the loss of limbs and/or death (see photos accompanying the story). Matsumura has been feeding and caring for the animals on his own resources, but the above article provides his bank account number for those who live in Japan and want to help him. There may soon be a PayPal account set up, according to the reporter.