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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Mari Yamaguchi

Elderly innkeeper trying to revitalise her town 15 years after Fukushima disaster

Radiation Fukushima United States Fukushima Daiichi Japan Tepco
Tomoko Kobayashi serves miso soup during breakfast service at Futabaya Ryokan in Odaka, Fukushima Prefecture, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte) - (Associated Press)

Fifteen years after the devastating 2011 nuclear disaster, Tomoko Kobayashi continues her personal mission to revive her near-deserted hometown in northeastern Fukushima.

Inside Futabaya Ryokan, the family-run inn she operates, colour-coded radiation maps serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing recovery.

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