A decade ago, Sakae Kato stayed behind to rescue cats abandoned by neighbors who fled the radiation clouds belching from the nearby Fukushima nuclear plant.
He won't leave reut.rs/38bpKn7 1/7
He won't leave reut.rs/38bpKn7 1/7
So far he has buried 23 cats in his garden, the most recent graves disturbed by wild boars that roam the depopulated community.
He is looking after 41 others in his home and another empty building on his property 2/7
He is looking after 41 others in his home and another empty building on his property 2/7
'I want to make sure I am here to take care of the last one,' Kato said from his home in the contaminated quarantine zone.
He leaves food for feral cats in a storage shed he heats with a paraffin stove 3/7
He leaves food for feral cats in a storage shed he heats with a paraffin stove 3/7
Kato has also rescued a dog, Pochi.
With no running water, he has to fill bottles from a nearby mountain spring, and drive to public toilets 4/7
With no running water, he has to fill bottles from a nearby mountain spring, and drive to public toilets 4/7
The 57-year-old, a small construction business owner in his former life, says his decision to stay as 160,000 other people evacuated the area was spurred in part by the shock of finding dead pets in abandoned houses he helped demolish 5/7
The cats also gave him a reason to stay on land that has been owned by his family for three generations.
Decontamination in fields near his house signal that other residents will soon be allowed to return 6/7
Decontamination in fields near his house signal that other residents will soon be allowed to return 6/7
Read more on the man who saves forgotten cats in Fukushima's nuclear zone reut.rs/38bpKn7
By 📷 Kim Kyung-Hoon and ✍️ @kellyJapan 7/7
By 📷 Kim Kyung-Hoon and ✍️ @kellyJapan 7/7
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
