Inside the Japan's nuclear exclusion zone
A year after a tsunami crippled Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant and caused widespread radiation leaks, a massive and complex cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.
Cluttered desks are left abandoned in the city hall offices of the town of Namie, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, in northeastern Japan, July 8, 2011. A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo
Vines grow across the road next to an abandoned car near the town of Naraha, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant July 16, 2011. A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo
Weeds grow from the cracks in the road and sidewalk in the abandoned town of Namie, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant July 24, 2011. A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo
Abandoned shopping carts sit in the parking lot of a supermarket along highway 6 near Tomioka, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant July 26, 2011. A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo
Garbage lies on an abandoned street in Odaka, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, in northeastern Japan, July 24, 2011. A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo
An earthquake-damaged street sits in front of an abandoned shop in the town of Naraha, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant July 16, 2011 . A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo
A coin laundry facility sits empty in the town of Namie, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant July 17, 2011. A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo
A car sits in a pool of water in what used to be a residential neighborhood in the town of Namie, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant July 24, 2011. A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo
Earthquake damaged buildings sit along an empty street at night in the abandoned town of Namie, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant July 10, 2011. A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo
Toppled shoe shelves lie in the entry way of an abandoned primary school in the abandoned town of Namie, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant June 19, 2011. A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo
An abandoned street stretches through the town of Naraha, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant July 10, 2011. A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo
A dead bird rests on a school gymnasium floor in the abandoned town of Namie,inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant July 8, 2011. A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo
Weeds grow from the cracks in the road and sidewalk near vending machines in the abandoned town of Namie, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant July 25, 2011. A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo
A parkinglot sits empty in the town of Odaka, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant July 23, 2011. A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo
Abandoned pet dogs stand in a parking lot in the abandoned town of Namie, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant June 19, 2011. A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo
An abandoned pachinko parlor sits along highway 6 near Tomioka, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant July 16, 2011. A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo
Toppled grocery baskets lay on the floor of an abandoned grocery store in the abandoned town of Namie, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, in northeastern Japan July 26, 2011 . A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo
A dead calf decomposes inside a barn in the abandoned, town of Naraha, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, in northeastern Japan July 9, 2011. A year after the Tsunami, cleanup has begun, but experts say areas inside the nuclear exclusion zone will be difficult to decontaminate.David Guttenfelder/AP Photo