Nuclear evacuees to return home for 2 hours

Nuclear evacuees to return home for 2 hours

KAWAUCHI, Japan - Residents of Kawauchi village, within a 20-kilometer radius of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, arrive at a public facility in the Fukushima Prefecture village on May 10, 2011, to receive protective clothing to shield against radiation before visiting their homes. Around 100 evacuees from the village were allowed to return home for roughly two hours to pick up belongings that can fit into a 70-centimeter by 70 cm plastic bag per household.

Nuclear evacuees to return home for 2 hours

Nuclear evacuees to return home for 2 hours

KAWAUCHI, Japan - Residents of Kawauchi village, within a 20-kilometer radius of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, receive protective suits to shield against radiation and other necessary equipment at a public facility in the Fukushima Prefecture village on May 10, 2011, in preparation for a roughly two-hour visit to their homes. Around 100 evacuees from the village were allowed to briefly return home to pick up belongings that can fit into a 70-centimeter by 70 cm plastic bag per household.

Nuclear evacuees to return home for 2 hours

Nuclear evacuees to return home for 2 hours

KAWAUCHI, Japan - Residents of Kawauchi village, within a 20-kilometer radius of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, receive protective suits to shield against radiation and other necessary equipment at a public facility in the Fukushima Prefecture village on May 10, 2011, in preparation for a roughly two-hour visit to their homes. Around 100 evacuees from the village were allowed to briefly return home to pick up belongings that can fit into a 70-centimeter by 70 cm plastic bag per household. (Kyodo)

Nuclear evacuees to return home for 2 hours

Nuclear evacuees to return home for 2 hours

KAWAUCHI, Japan - Residents of Kawauchi village, within a 20-kilometer radius of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, arrive at a public facility in the Fukushima Prefecture village on May 10, 2011, to receive protective clothing to shield against radiation before visiting their homes. Around 100 evacuees from the village were allowed to return home for roughly two hours to pick up belongings that can fit into a 70-centimeter by 70 cm plastic bag per household. (Kyodo)

Nuclear evacuees briefly return home

Nuclear evacuees briefly return home

KAWAUCHI, Japan - An evacuee from Kawauchi village near the crisis-hit Fukushima nuclear plant, wearing a protective suit to shield against radiation, retrieves belongings at his or her home, left littered in the wake of the March 11 magnitude 9.0 earthquake, on May 10, 2011. Around 100 evacuees from the Fukushima Prefecture village were allowed to return home for two hours. Belongings to be retrieved must fit into a 70-centimeter by 70-cm plastic bag issued to each household. (The sex of the photographed person is unknown)(Pool photo)(Kyodo)

Nuclear evacuees briefly return home

Nuclear evacuees briefly return home

KAWAUCHI, Japan - Evacuees from Kawauchi village near the crisis-hit Fukushima nuclear plant, wearing protective suits to shield against radiation, head to a bus for temporary returns home to pick up their belongings on May 10, 2011. Around 100 evacuees from the Fukushima Prefecture village were allowed to return home for two hours. Belongings to be retrieved must fit into a 70-centimeter by 70-cm plastic bag issued to each household. (Kyodo)

Japan's oldest plow unearthed in Shiga Pref.

Japan's oldest plow unearthed in Shiga Pref.

OTSU, Japan - A plow believed to be the oldest harrow in Japan was unearthed on May 11 at a ruin in the town of Notogawa in Shiga Prefecture, western Japan. Experts believe the harrow, which has a 70-centimeter-long base of Japanese cypress and three 50 cm-long oak tines, was used in the late fourth to early fifth centuries. The photo was provided by the Notogawa town education board.

Pearl-studded miniature castle on display

Pearl-studded miniature castle on display

NAGOYA, Japan - A miniature model of Japan's medieval Azuchi Castle, studded with 24,096 pearls, is put on display at a Nagoya department store March 2 to attract visitors. The 70-centimeter-tall decoration, made by an Ise pearl cultivator, is not for sale but is valued at 30 million yen.