Tokyo, April 14: A 102-year-old man has killed himself in a newly-declared no-go zone around Japan’s crippled nuclear plant because he was depressed at having to leave his home, a report said today.
The centenarian, the oldest resident of Iitate village, 40 kilometres from the Fukushima Daiichi plant, took his own life after talking to his family about evacuation, Jiji Press reported, citing local officials.
“Before the suicide, the oldest resident of the community discussed evacuation plans with his family, municipal officials said, adding that they suspect the man was depressed at the idea that he would have to leave his place,” Jiji reported.
Iitate was one of a number of areas the central government declared off-limits earlier this week because of concerns over the effect of long-term exposure to radiation from the leaking nuclear plant.
-Agencies