In Containment: the people of Minamisoma

I would like to share with you an interesting video part of a series. To me this is the most important one released yet. Part 5 is still due to be released on YT.

Ian and Hiroshi enter the exclusion zone, 10km from the damaged nuclear power plant in Fukushima. After traveling down the tsunami-ravaged coast, they drive through the center of Namie town, which was badly damaged in the earthquake. After getting out of the car to measure radiation levels, they are stopped by a police patrol and questioned. Finally, after coming across a herd of cows that roams freely in the exclusion zone, the film crew unknowingly drives directly into a radiation hotspot. NOTE: The radiation measurements are in millirem per hour (mR/h). 1 mR/h equals 10 microsieverts per hour (microSv/h). The top reading of 500 mR/h in the film is equal to 5,000 microSv/h.

reply to post by InnerTruths

I haven't seen the other videos, but this one is scary, not to mention such a sad ride through the affected area. It's the kind of video that will haunt me.

There must be many stories about the deserted town. I must go in search of the other videos. Maybe they will tell me why those three people would willfully expose themselves to such danger.

Those cows are dying a slow death surely. It would have been interesting to see a closeup of themI hope the others are on YTube.

reply to post by aboutface


I viewed the other videos, and if you know the person who made this doc, I have a suggestion to make that might make it easier to understand. I am left with this sense of curiosity as to why these people are living where they are? Are they really confined and unable to leave? If so, this is even sadder for me to think about. My suggestion is to add an introduction or a preamble that would really situate the viewer.

I was particularly affected by the woman who said that Tepco just keeps on sending them papers to be filled out. It's as though they are lab rats and nothing more if no one will tell them anything. I will certainly keep them in my thoughts and prayers. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.