Return to Fukushima

by Thomas A. Bass

Fukushima is an ongoing nuclear disaster. The four reactors that melted down and exploded in 2011 are still deadly, even to the robots that get burned up trying to explore them. Over a hundred thousand people remain displaced, their homes frozen in time, eerie ghost towns where slippers sit undisturbed at doorsteps and tables are set for absent guests. Wild animals have moved into the houses. Vines overgrow buildings surrendering to entropy.

But grassroots efforts are reviving Fukushima, propelled by the ingenuity of local farmers and entrepreneurs, citizen scientists, artists, and immigrants from around the world who are intrigued by starting new lives in the red zone. 

In 2018 and again four and a half years later, Thomas Bass travelled to Fukushima. The difference was dramatic: The place had been cleaned up and reopened. Gradually, people are learning to live with radioactivity, decontaminate their fields, monitor their food, and prepare for the next wave set to wash over this seismically precarious part of the world. After seven years of research, including travels to Chernobyl, Bass gives us a remarkable account of how Fukushima's Argonauts of the Anthropocene are guiding us into our atomic future.

Genres: Nonfiction

218 pages, Paperback

Published May 27, 2025

Reviews

[Vince McManus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although written from an explicitly anti-nuclear perspective, this seemed to be a mostly fair eye opening account of a Japanese government cover up and disinformation campaign surrounding the Fukushima disaster’s true impacts. Shying away from the pseudo science I somewhat expected, Bass focuses on human scale impacts from people on the ground in addition to undeniably sketchy actions observed within the Japanese and US governments and nuclear communities . This writing has made me second guess whether my favorability around nuclear energy may come from a more reactionary place rather than being a fact based position.

Pairs well with Normal Accidents by Charles Perrow for those interested in sociology.

[Just Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an excellent little book. You quickly come to the conclusion that the author is no fan of nuclear power. I personally am quite intrigued by nuclear power and at times have felt it to be a brilliant idea that should be implemented, but when you start to realize the negatives and their far reaching ramifications, even the small ones, it doesn’t really make up for the positives, no matter how cheap and “clean” the power is. This book really drills that home. As shiny and clean and “safe” as the authorities and nuclear companies tell you nuclear power is, there is certainly a dark side to it and the nuclear industry has done its best to cover it up and pretend doesn’t exist. It is shocking to read some of the things in this book, and rage inducing to learn that companies like Tepco can ruin hundreds of thousands of lives if not millions and destroy prime and limited land with relatively little punishment. After reading the book I honestly felt sad and a little sick and concluded that I’d rather live next to a coal or nat-gas power plant any day.

PS: the sheer volume of highly toxic nuclear waste just sitting around in Japan alone, I daresay keeps me up at night.

[Samson Stappos · Rating 5 out of 5]

well researched, but with parts that overlap/repeat. still gave 5 stars