On pristine pitches in northeastern Japan, the Argentine men¡¯s rugby team practiced their scrums, line-outs and set plays in the sunshine in preparation for their opening game against France this week in the Rugby World Cup.
About a year ago, the ground beneath their feet was covered with parking lots for the hundreds of workers who had to contain and then clean up the world¡¯s worst nuclear disaster.
Eight years after the earthquake and tsunami that caused the triple meltdowns of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, the only sign of the devastation at the J-Village sports complex is a radiation monitor showing levels lower than in Tokyo. But residents and businesses in the region are still struggling to persuade the world that their towns and produce are safe.
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