UM TO FUKUSHIMA

Ota Market vendor Yasuhiko Numata, 45, distributes cucumbers from Fukushima. Numata says before the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, Fukushima was considered one of the best sources of produce in Japan. “Many families are now afraid to purchase food goods from Fukushima for the fear it’s higher in radiation than other products,” Numata said.

 

Today, all food from Fukushima is tested for radiation, but that still isn’t enough to change most people’s minds about consuming produce from the region, he said. The aftermath of 3.11 has caused major setbacks to the farming industry in Fukushima, and created an economic crisis for residents who depend on farming to earn a living.

 

Photos and text by Sydney MacDonald