The only man in Fukushima sacrifices himself for radioactive animals

The Fukushima nuclear disaster that took place several years ago made all the residents leave a 12.5-mile radioactive zone. The animals though have not been evacuated.

55-year-old Naoto Matsumura, a fifth-generation rice farmer from Fukushima thought back to all the animals he'd left behind on his farm home.

Despite strict orders from the Japanese government, he made his way back to Fukushima in order to check up on his family's dogs, being fully aware of the risk this endeavour posed. When he got to the farm, Naoto witnessed something he was not ready for.

Hundreds of abandoned animals - all of them left behind by people who escaped in a hurry - scattered across the town. Starving dogs still tied to posts in backyards, piles of dying cattle, frail chickens trapped in rusted cages. These animals had not eaten or drank enough water in over a year, yet somehow many of them still survived. All remaining animals had been condemned by the government due to contamination, and there were orders for them to be slaughtered and buried.

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Matsumura firmly believed the officials were making an immoral decision and argued that contaminated animals could be beneficial for conducting research on the effects of radioactivity. Since then, the 55-year-old has hold his own and has been looking after all left-behind animals.