Fukushima, Japan - fifteen years after the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident, the town of Fukushima is still largely abandoned. The primary school in Kumamachi stands frozen in time with empty desks and discarded lunch boxes. Norio Kimura, a former pig farmer, watches through the dusty window, hoping one day to return. His daughter Yuna and her family perished when the tsunami hit. Authorities still consider the radiation levels too high for residents to return safely. Yet the area has become a refuge for bears, raccoons and other wildlife. Local officials are debating how much land to leave untouched and how to manage the growing wildlife population. The Japanese government launched a massive cleanup operation after the triple core melt, removing contaminated soil from public buildings. Forests covering 70% of the contaminated zone still hold high levels of cesium‑137, and some wild mushrooms and bamboo shoots are banned from sale. University researchers are sampling tree cores to monitor radio‑active spread. Despite the ongoing risks, there is hope that nature will thrive and residents may eventually return.

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