On the winding streets through farmland, houses and businesses ¡ª both abandoned and finally re-occupied since the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami ¡ª towns and villages around the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant were buzzing with the ¡°what ifs¡± from the plant¡¯s tritium-laced water release on Thursday.

Freelance tour guide Sumio Konno, who used to work at the Fukushima plant, sees what the government and media call ¡°treated water¡± as something different.

¡°Of course I¡¯m against the release,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s contaminated water. ... Tritium isn¡¯t at all safe, so I feel as if we¡¯re being deceived by the government.¡±