Some 110, 000 people living around the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant were evacuated after the massive March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami knocked out the plant's power and cooling systems, causing meltdowns in three reactors and spewing radiation into the surrounding air, soil and water.
"When Putin came here to open a Pacific Rim exhibition, he was surprised to see Chinese people selling things in the markets, " says Wei Dai Tong, the Vladivostok merchant.
People will queue for hours to eat at Sushi Dai and Daiwa Sushi in the famous Tsujiki Market or flock to the Takashimaya depachika (food hall) for the latest French pastry.