Namie is a ghost town: its back streets deserted, its shops shuttered. Weeds push through the cracks between paving stones and black bags of radioactive soil are piled up everywhere. The town was hurriedly evacuated six years ago after an earthquake and tsunami triggered a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station about 5 kilometres away. Is it ready for the return of its population? The Japanese government seems to think so. From 1 April, restrictions on access will cease, the first train will pull into the railway station, buses will run again, and its 21,000 former residents will be able to resume their lives there.
New Scientist 27th March 2017 read more »