Tani's project for farm animals in nuclear exclusion zone.
A fog descending from the mountain gives moisture to trees and grass. Cows are munching grass and looking down on me. This peaceful idyllic scenery makes me forget that this area is off limits.
my Geiger counter indicates 0.5 micro Sievert. This is ten times higher than normal values. In this nuclear exclusion zone in Okuma town Fukushima, these serviced cows are not allowed to evacuate or to be sold because they are affected by radiation since 2011.
There are some people who have been taking care these cows since the nuclear disaster. Satsuki Tani is the one of them.
From here, Tani and cows are trying to propose a sustainable way to restore "Hometown".
The project is "Mowing", to have cows eat overgrown trees and grass in exclusion zone.
On March 2011、a Tsunami trigged by a massive earthquake struck the power plant in Fukushima and caused a serious nuclear disaster. Residents within a 20km (12miles) radius of the plant were forced to evacuate but animals were left behind.
Residents were not allowed to bring their pets to evacuation sites. They couldn't return to home for a long time. As a result, harnessed dogs starved to death and cats ate each other inside locked houses. The situation for livestock was even worse.
There are about 4000 cows, 30,000 pigs, and 630,000 chickens that were left behind in this area.
Some of them managed to escape by braking out of their barns. Others were released by their owners and volunteers. But most of them starved to death inside of locked barns.
Unlike pets they were not allowed to evacuate to outside the area.
Cows that were still alive were tied up in locked stall barns filled with feces and dead bodies of other cows. Pigs were barely able to breathe in barns filled with other dead pig bodies being stacked one on top of the other. Chickens were crused or eaten by rats alive inside battery cages.
In Japan, Animal welfare and protection law is not well developed especially for livestock. There are no laws requiring owners to evacuate their livestock in case of emergency evacuation situations.
On May 2011, the Nuclear Accidents and Impact on Animals Committee presented a recommendation to "ensure the rapid movement of viable animals out of the affected areas" but the Japanese government directed to kill all livestock in the area regardless of whether they were affected by radiation or not. One government official referred to livestock that survived as "Moving trash".
Farmers were forced to agree to kill their beloved ones. Some owners became mentally depressed or committed suicide from the deep sadness and hopelessness.
Tani had originally lived in Shizuoka over 450km (280 mile) away from Fukushima. The first time she met the cows was when she visited Fukushima to rescue animals. Seeing the cruel condition of farm animals were facing, Tani made the decision to rescue them.
Each cow recognizes their name. When their name is called, they will turn around to look or respond by moving their ears.Their gentle gaze and shiny coat show that they are well cared for by Tani. Excluding the problem of high radiation levels, this place is a sanctuary for these cows.
In Japan, there are no shelters for farm animals which are defined as being “industrial Animals”. Some people question the meaning of feeding livestock which make no profit.
"Traditionally, we Japanese and cows were in a relationship to be helped each other. We were both in the circulation of nature." Tani said.
Until the 1960's, we could see cows helping plow fields and carry heavy things in countryside.
But now, machines have taken over this task. Industrialization focusing on efficiency decreased farm field and changed the way of farming. Now, the majority of farms are Factory farms in Japan. More than 95% of laying hens are in battery cages. Cows and pigs are raised in stall barns without sunlight or soil for their entire life.
While concentrating solely on efficiently generating large amounts of profits and developing the economy, we hadn't turned our attention to the background of the production. And then, the nuclear disaster occurred.
Decreasing the area of farm fields which retained a function to be a border between human habitations and mountain also resulting in unintended contact, as wild animals began to come out from mountain and raid crops on the farms. These animals are killed to protect agriculture and infrastructure. The same phenomenon is occurred in exclusion zone.
Since the zone is restricted, trees and grass have overgrown to human height. Wild boars dig up rice and farm fields as well as resident's yards. Racoon dog, fox, rabbit are run over by cars on the road.
Residents can only watch the hometown is being swallowed by mountains.
The evacuation sites are far from the exclusion zone and entering to the zone is restricted. Since the disaster,residents who had supported each other have become scattered apart and their relationships are fading.
"Cow's Mowing" is resolving this issue. Kudzu(Japanese vine species), Susuki(Miscanthus sinensis), Goldenrot. These plants which occupying the zone are cow’s favorites to eat. By allowing the cows to mow, fields have begun to return to their original shape. "Mowing" also can helps prevent forest fires as well as providing clear lines of sight to reduce crime.
This place Ubagami in Okuma town is the second place for mowing. Cutting trees and place fences. Tani and elder land-owner of this place worked together. Years has passed, supporters are increasing. Tani also calls more residents to participate in this project.
Tani says ”This exclusion zone is full of painful memories. We, human must know the suffering of livestock animals who have died in pain. At this place, I'd like to make good memories for future with the surviving cattle.”
