Abandoned Japanese exclusion zone is home to many cars left to die
- The Fukushima exclusion zone is full of abandoned JDM cars
- But they can’t be moved because of safety fears
- Here are the models left there to turn to fossilize
Published on Jul 02, 2024 at 9:03 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Jul 03, 2024 at 11:34 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
The Fukushima exclusion zone is full of abandoned JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars – and they can’t be moved.
An urban explorer found tons of rare cars over a dozen years after the nuclear disaster caused by a tsunami.
Radiation levels there are still too high to remain for more than several hours – and the cars are too radioactive to move.
READ MORE: Abandoned European airport still has planes waiting for takeoff on the runway
What happened to the vehicles?
Over 13 years ago, in 2011, a tsunami led to a nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan.
Most of the evacuated area has since been cleared, remaining part of the exclusion zone.
And it’s since become a morbid tourist attraction like the guys behind Exploring the Unbeaten Path.
The channel’s host, Bob, ventured into the exclusion zone to check out some of the rare vehicles.
If you’re into mysterious abandoned cars, check out this ‘traffic jam forest’ filled with hundreds of abandoned cars buried in a long line.
Why have the cars been abandoned?
The abandoned Japanese-market cars will rot in place or be crushed due to safety fears.
There’s a Toyota Crown Comfort, to a Suzuki Jimny, and a Mitsubishi Evo 7.
A R32 Skyline, Z33 Nissan 300ZX, S15 Nissan Silvia, and MK4 Toyota Supra.
What’s more a Mazda P600 Carol, AW11 Toyota MR2, Honda S2000, Subaru WRX STI, and Subaru Forester STI.
That’s in addition to a myriad of Kei trucks and vans.
While they’d bring some cash at auction, for safety reasons they need to be left to their unfortunate fate.
The cars may be radioactive due to the exposure.
Japan customs require a vehicle gives off less than 0.3 microsieverts of radiation before being exported.
That level is exceeded by at least one car in the video.
One van sold domestically in 2011 was found to be emitting around 110 microsieverts per hour.
What’s more, exposing metals to radiation results in ‘radiation hardening’.
This makes the material hard, brittle, and prone to cracks, surface changes, and malformations over time.
Worried about nuclear disasters? Rolls-Royce is building the next $13 billion nuclear-proof ‘doomsday plane’.
But nuclear isn’t all bad news with this impressive supersonic nuclear-powered plane that could fly from London to New York in less time than a soccer game.
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All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
