Hermit of Fukushima says he's staying put despite risks

Yes, he may be hurting himself, but I hope he has the financial means to take care of the animals and himself.

If/when he gets cancer, I would appreciate my tax money not being used to treat him.

In a manner of speaking I am jealous of this guy. He is doing what he wants, fully aware of the risks he is taking, and he is doing something that no one else, particularly the government, is doing, trying to take care of the animals that were left behind.

The government should be paying this guy loads of cash so they can keep an eye on his health and the effects of the radiation he has been exposed to. That along with supplying him with what he needs to survive as well.

I hope he makes it through the winter and stays healthy!

Kudos to this man for putting on a bold show and sticking to his guns. That said, he is mad, and as such should not be willing to give interviews to the media about how stoic he is and how much he wants to stay where he is and then turn around and say he's tired of people calling him 'mad'. What does he think he's going to get? World-wide praise and encouragement?

As Charles above, I hope the man can take care of himself (well, I mean survive -- he's really only killing himself) and moreso the animals, but I also agree with tmarie -- I hope he's willing to stay where he is when he inevitably gets sick with cancer. The guy wants to stick it out, let him! don't just allow him to pose for the cameras and talk about how much he believes in what he's doing so that he can stick everyone who told him to leave with the bill later.

Why isn't there any information on how to send him help in the form of food, money, animal and pet food???

This is not without precedent.....

http://mg.co.za/article/2011-03-28-mushroompicking-and-fishing-life-in-chernobyl-zone/

Ganna Konstantynova (77) lives just 18km from the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster, but happily goes mushroom-picking and grows vegetables in her back garden. She is among hundreds of mainly elderly Ukrainians who live within the restricted region around the Chernobyl nuclear plant, eking out a surprisingly bucolic existence and dispelling the area's reputation as a dead zone. "I live very well in Chernobyl," the orange-headscarved septuagenarian said. "The air here is good, the river is nearby, everything is as it should be. The grass smells good and in summer everything is in bloom.".......'Eat everything and fear nothing' Ganna is one of just 270 elderly Ukrainians who live within the exclusion zone in a defiance of an official ban on living in the contaminated area -- a ban the authorities have long stopped bothering to enforce.

To each their own, if he can survive and even thrive, why not? he is doing something far more noble than the majority of the popualiton, he could be some homeless tramp living a blue sheet in a city park, but no, this guy is doing something. good luck to him.

He is the only one left in town of Tomioka, but there are still at least 8 others living within 20-kilometer exclusion zone . Hope they're all healthy. One town Kawauchumura provides the residents with food every two weeks.

This guy is a hero. He is not afraid and has much compassion towards the animals who have been left and are dead or dying. Kudos to Matsumura. Interestingly this is also good for scientific research since he is a guinea pig and we will see what the effects are of the radiation upon him in the years to come. The government should support him and realize there is much to learn. I hope he survives through the winter. I also would like to go and spend some time with him and go search for stray and locked up animals if it is not too late.

I agree with Ranger, I wish there was a way to give him supplies, this man is amazing and deserves every bit of help he can get.

So many people fear death. It's our natural instinct to protect your very existence.

But what if "Death"'s hand is comforting? What if when you see him, you invite him for a cup of tea. There's no reason to believe that the Grim Reaper would be an impolite guest. Perhaps uninvited but still polite.

Seems like this old man has accepted his destiny. Perhaps the quiet streets and open areas now bring a sense of peace of tranquility. As I walk through the shadows in the valley of death......(Screech).....maybe that valley is green and as quiet as the breeze.

It seems a bit odd however he has made his choice.

If he's not eating anything growing in the area, it is at least as likely that his smoking will do for him. As Carcharodon says, there are quite a few people living inside the Chernobyl exclusion zone. Personally, I wouldn't want to take the risk, but then I don't smoke cigarettes either.

This a man sacrificing for the greater good. He stated, he is a lonely man after separating from his wife 10 years ago. He is giving his life for a greater good. We all have to go sometime, but very few of us have the courage to say how. We call people who do things for self glorification "heroes" but we can't see how heroic is this man. His focus is on the animals. It's bs that they can't do anything in the so called zone. However they can find a way to get the mushrooms and other test objects, which he provides. Pay him water and can goods! They got water and other comfort items into the same area when the zone was "hotter". Look, just drop a pallet of water and can goods. This man is helping contain. Feeding and caring for the animals in that zone keeps them from roaming for food. Animals are smarter than most of those in authority. Japan, swallow your pride and help this guy. He's one of the very few with an honest story relating to this disaster. He is my heroe!

There are also people living in no-zone around Chernobyl and so far, despite all press desire to see them die of cancer, are in good health.

But what if "Death"'s hand is comforting? What if when you see him, you invite him for a cup of tea. There's no reason to believe that the Grim Reaper would be an impolite guest. Perhaps uninvited but still polite.

Seems like this old man has accepted his destiny. Perhaps the quiet streets and open areas now bring a sense of peace of tranquility. As I walk through the shadows in the valley of death......(Screech).....maybe that valley is green and as quiet as the breeze.

I had no idea you were so poetic netninja! I kind of like these two statements!

TEPCO or the government should pay this man to feed the animals and have him come in every few months for testing; he's a human guinea pig who could provide some valuable data on radiation sickness or something. But, of course, both TEPCO and the gov will say, "Our hands are tied." Worhtless twits.

Just crazy and lonely. Sure to make anyone suicidal. These areas need to be evacuated and his willingness to stay does not make him a hero, but a loner that has accepted he will die alone anyway.

He is not old Net NInja. Physical age is very different from mental age. This is a good guy. I would be proud to have him as a Daddy.

Of course you would JapanGal. Show and Tell at school would be so cool. Look everybody, my daddy glows in the dark.

Ranger_Miffy2 and uzneko

We can't send him supplies because even the deliveryman isn't allowed to deliver anything in that area. But we could send money to him in the form of a bank transfer. If his bank info was posted, I would be inclined to send him a bit of money and I wouldn't be surprised if he did get some more hefty donations from others.

Some of you posters need a sense of proportion. The smoking is a far greater risk than the radiation. If all the population moved back into the area, there might eventually be a detectable increase in cancer rates, but that doesn't mean the risk to a individual is actually a big one.

Agree with japan-cyni.

People still trod out eh Ol' Demon of Cancer. Yet, the wildlife and people around Chernobyl haven't shown the mutilations, nor mutations and increased cancer-rates they are so scared off. I think people really need to inform themselves about the true causes of cancers(many types) and what are the common causes for each.

Some posters here sound like they still believe the 60's and 70's about mutated giant animals(insects, etc).

Don't waste your time on thumbing down my post as it means nothing to me.

This Farm,those animals,,This is a dyed in the wool farmer who has taken his stand and decided His Fate . Too bad those Nimrods at TEPCO are such cowards!

▼this is a nice story.^o^ he's happy there so i'm happy for him. ▼

Its me:

" Some posters here sound like they still believe the 60's and 70's about mutated giant animals(insects, etc). "

Yes. The whole cancer thing is a play on statistics. Yes, you can statistically expect higher cancer rates, but that means little for the individual, and those fairy tales about mutated animals are simply not true, as the Chernobyl proves. In fact, the area is now a thriving nature paradise.

That is not to say that radiation is not dangerous. But it would be nice if people shelved the hysteria and put things in perspective.

WilliB.

Agree, one causing factor goes up but we can reduce the other causing factors(Smoking, liquor intake, being overweight, stress, etc, etc).

Lots of that people can do, also cancer meds and survivability are improving yearly. I foresee a future where most cancers are liveable with like Diabeters, etc.

And, yes, I loved ones to it, on same token I also got ones that beat it or lived with it for 30+yrs and are going strong.

To people above who say they want to send him money, stick 10,000 JPY in an envelope and send it to:

Mr Naoto Matsumoto, Tomioka Town, Fukushima Prefecture.

Or copy and paste 福島県富岡町松村直人

He's world-famous. He will get it.

& Happy Hollystix to all!

nandak-m-, Seems like good information. Thank you.

In my post, I could have been clearer. Was thinking that if he drives into town, perhaps there could be a delivery place for him, or a drop off place. Especially for pet food etc. Sending money seems good, but I would write to him and ask him not to spend it on ciggies.

LOL @ Ranger_Miffy2. C'mon, we should allow him one last luxury, to thumb his nose at something at least! :8)

I'd like to send him some food for Christmas.

"If I quit smoking now, I may become ill"

No doubt. Smoke away, Matsumura, lol.

Wow. talk about the ultimate good deed.

This guy is a true hero.

Some of you posters need a sense of proportion. The smoking is a far greater risk than the radiation.

While this may be so, one is self induced the other forced upon him by a country and corporation that cares nothing about the common man(woman).

We all make choices in our lives, some better than others, but the point isn't about the smoking or radiation either. The point is having the balls to choose which road one wants to take in their lives.

I highly doubt that I could or would be willing to walk in his footsteps.

Agreed with regev. This guy is a hero in my book. Maybe a fool, but the fool on the hill sees the sun going down...

@nan Wouldn't his name be Mr Naoto Matsumura?

I would like a better form of contact to him, in order to help.