video transcript

For cyclist Kazunari Watanabe, medals are only part his aim for the London Olympics next month. As one of the victims of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the 28-year-old wants to devote an Olympic campaign to his hometown - still a ghost town in a no-go area around the crippled plant. The earthquake and subsequent tsunami which destroyed parts of the Japanese coastline last year left the Fukushima plant spewing radiation. Watanabe's family were forced to leave their home just over three kilometres away. 14 months on the cyclist says the crisis is still affecting lives. SOUNDBITE: MEMBER OF JAPAN'S NATIONAL CYCLE TEAM FOR LONDON OLYMPICS, KAZUNARI WATANABE SAYING (Japanese): "Fukushima hasn't yet fully recovered, and with my races I want to remind the people around the world that the disaster is still on-going. I hope I can help to bring the attention back with a good result in the Olympic Games." The Japanese government estimates almost a third of residents now living outside the nuclear zone will not be able to return home within the next five years. For Watanabe, the disaster has bought focus to his training. SOUNDBITE: MEMBER OF JAPAN'S NATIONAL CYCLE TEAM FOR LONDON OLYMPICS, KAZUNARI WATANABE, SAYING (Japanese): "I'll continue putting my best effort into my races, because I believe my competition gives courage and comfort to the people suffering from the nuclear disaster." During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Watanabe says his hometown celebrated as he helped secure a sixth-place finish in the team sprint event. This year, he hopes his races will bring new hope to those still suffering. Sarah Charlton, Reuters