FUKUSHIMA ¨C When Atsushi Hoshino set out to revive a group representing atomic bomb survivors in the Fukushima Prefecture 30 years ago, one topic was taboo ¡ª criticizing the nuclear power industry upon which many relied for jobs.
That changed dramatically after March 11, 2011, when a massive tsunami devastated the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, triggering meltdowns, spewing radiation and forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee their homes.
¡°Until then . . . I felt somewhat uncomfortable about nuclear power, but not enough to oppose it. Rather, I was in a situation where it wasn¡¯t possible to oppose it,¡± Hoshino, 87, told reporters at his home in the city of Fukushima, about 60 km from the wrecked Fukushima No. 1 plant, the country¡¯s first commercial nuclear plant when it went online in 1971.
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