Above ground, the tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear power plant has had a major face-lift since the 2011 disaster. Inside and underground remains largely a morass. A stylish new office building was the first thing that came into view during a tour for foreign media last month. Another building has
Above ground, the tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear power plant has had a major face-lift since the 2011 disaster. Inside and underground remains largely a morass.
A stylish new office building was the first thing that came into view during a tour for foreign media last month. Another building has a cafeteria and a convenience store. It’s easy to forget you’re in the official no-go zone, where access is restricted.
We first went through automated security checks and radiation measurement at the new building, where 1,000 employees of Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s decommissioning unit work. A sign prohibits games such as Pokemon Go.
Visitors no longer must put on hazmat suits and full-face charcoal-filter masks, or plastic shoe covers, unless they are going to the most contaminated areas. We donned the gear for low-dose areas: a helmet, double socks, cotton gloves, surgical mask, goggles, and a vest with a personal dosimeter.
