In Photos: Meet the Man Who Stayed Behind to Care for Abandoned Cats in Fukushima Nuclear Zone

A decade ago, Sakae Kato stayed behind to rescue cats abandoned by neighbours who fled the radiation clouds belching from the nearby Fukushima nuclear plant. He won’t leave. Photo: Reuters

So far he has buried 23 cats in his garden, the most recent graves disturbed by wild boars that roam the depopulated community. He is looking after 41 others in his home and another empty building on his property. Kato leaves food for feral cats in a storage shed he heats with a paraffin stove. He has also rescued a dog, Pochi. With no running water, he has to fill bottles from a nearby mountain spring, and drive to public toilets. Photo: Reuters

The 57-year-old, a small construction business owner in his former life, says his decision to stay as 160,000 other people evacuated the area was spurred in part by the shock of finding dead pets in abandoned houses he helped demolish. The cats also gave him a reason to stay on land that has been owned by his family for three generations. Photo: Reuters

He estimates he spends $7,000 a month on his animals, part of it to buy dog food for wild boar that gather near his house at sunset. Farmers consider them pests, and also blame them for wrecking empty homes. Photo: Reuters

A feral cat, disturbed by noise while eating cat food left out by Sankae Kato, jumps out of a hole from a storage shed on Kato's property. Kato is looking after some 40 other cats in his home and another empty building on his property. Kato leaves food for feral cats in a storage shed he heats with a paraffin stove. He has also rescued a dog, Pochi. With no running water, he has to fill bottles from a nearby mountain spring, and drive to public toilets. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Sakae Kato plays with cats that he rescued, called Mokkun and Charm. The cats also gave him a reason to stay on land that has been owned by his family for three generations. I don't want to leave, I like living in these mountains," he said standing in front of his house, which he is allowed to visit but, technically, not allowed to sleep in. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Sakae Kato cleans cat cages at his home. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Sakae Kato prepares food for abandoned and feral cats at a barn. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon