Fukushima Forbidden Zone Cows: Support from Authorities
Tomioka-town, Sunday 26th May
Naoto Matsumura reported a third birth inside the FFZ this week. Out of three calves, two died. However, this week two additional calves were born successfully, which makes a total of three “healthy “ calves at the moment.
A total of seven high level representatives including representatives of the Ministry of Forestry, Agriculture and Fisheries, of the Fukushima Prefecture, of a medical association, and the mayor of Tomioka town have visited Naoto Matsumura in the exclusion zone last Wednesday. As a result of talks, a decision has been made not to kill the surviving cows of the FFZ.
A victory for Naoto Matsumura, who is now starting to get support from officials. “After the nuclear accident, the government officials repeatedly said there was nothing to be done for the animals caught inside the 20 km no-go zone. Last winter they were talking about exterminating them, rather than feeding them,” Matsumura said over the telephone, while driving his white Suzuki pick-up truck, this Sunday morning.
Tomioka town, May 2011: it was unclear what the city officials were doing to this cow. Photo: Naoto Matsumura, 2011
The weather has been nice overall this week inside the FFZ, and Matsumura was in a good mood on this Sunday morning, which was rather sunny and warm in both Tokyo and Tomioka town.
We should not forget this Japanese town, contaminated for decades to come where a man has courageously decided to stay in “until he dies”, Naoto Matsumura said many times.
Kyoko Miura
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