Hometown Stories

A picturesque town with a slumping economy was torn by the lure of nuclear energy. Should the people accept the construction of a nuclear power plant, in the hope it will help fund their future? Or continue to struggle in bountiful nature, free of the risks of radiation? We get a close look at their 40-year dilemma.

What is the best way to frame the issue of nuclear power? In the end, maybe a great deal hinges on how people define "quality of life".

Questioning Nuclear Power The program presents the thoughts of the residents of Ashihama who have been directly concerned with the pros and cons of the nuclear power issue ever since a plant was first proposed there in 1963.

At the end of each summer, for a brief period, part of this mountain becomes a "forest of light" from mysterious lights emitted by mushrooms, fallen leaves, and tree trunks. Last summer, a team of scientists stepped into the forest to uncover its luminous mysteries.