Ian Thomas Ash, originally from New York, is a freelance documentary filmmaker who has lived in Japan for 10 years. When the magnitude-9.0 earthquake hit off the coast of northeastern Japan on March 11, Ian felt its effects in the nation's capital, Tokyo. The impact of the quake, tsunami and the ongoing threat of radioactive fallout from the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant 150 miles away is taking its toll.
In April, Ian and cameraman Colin O'Neill ventured into the evacuation zone surrounding Fukushima to find children going to school and people trying to make sense of what had happened. In September, the pair re-visited the evacuation zone to see what has changed.
You can see more of Ian's documentary work by visiting Ian's YouTube Channel. He also regularly updates his personal blog, Documenting Ian.
After the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, explosions at the Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukushima spewed radioactive dust over the surrounding areas.
One month later, I was shocked to learn that some children had never been evacuated from the radiation zone 20-30 km from the nuclear power plant and that others had started to return.
When I heard that the local board of education in Minamisoma City, one of the cities in the 20-30 km zone had decided to re-open the schools, I decided to travel to this zone with my cameraman, Colin, to document the story of these children.
"In the Radiation Zone: the Children of Minamisoma," a three-part behind-the-scenes look at what we filmed was published by Discovery News in May. (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)
Since the triple disasters of March 11, many people in the world (and including some people in Japan itself) have inevitably had to move on from this story. However, the suffering of the victims in the affected areas continues seven months on.
In September, six months after the nuclear disaster, Colin and I returned to Minamisoma to document the changes in the city since we had been there.
"In the Radiation Zone: Revisiting Minamisoma" is a three-part look at what we found.
In part one, we meet one of the participants in the original documentary film, visit the elementary school to see if the kids are still wearing masks, and drive by the ocean to see what has become of the area devastated by the tsunami:
In part two, we visit the local train station, interview people that have recently moved from evacuation centers into temporary housing, and head for the 20 km exclusion zone:
In Part 3, on the way to the 20 km exclusion zone, we drive through the wasteland where the debris from the earthquake and tsunami is being sorted and stored. At the exclusion zone we talk with some of the people we meet there. Finally, we approach the 20 km border:
More by Ian:
March 22, 2011: Despite Radiation Fears, 'I'm Not Leaving Tokyo'
March 28, 2011: After the Tsunami, 'To Be Alive Is Enough'
April 1, 2011: Japan Tsunami Clean-up: So Much to Be Done
April 7, 2011: Japan: Pride, Honor and Respect in the Face of Chaos
May 9, 2011: Japan Crisis: Entering the Radiation Zone (Part 1)
May 18, 2011: Japan Crisis: The Children of Minamisoma City (Part 2)
May 31, 2011: Japan Crisis: Going to School 32 km from Fukushima
Video credit: Ian Thomas Ash and Colin O'Neill
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