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Gov't acknowledges first radiation death among Fukushima plant workers

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So, can they finally charge the execs with murder then ?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Really hard to believe that news sources continue with the hackneyed phrase, "unfounded rumors" etc.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The nuclear workers do not help their own cause, by working at different plants under different names, exceeding the NRA mandated limits, or in other cases, working without radiation meters or proper documentation, under the 6-7 layers of employment agencies that comprise the Japan Nucelar Village. The plight of the 'nuclear gypsies' is well-documented, especially by Reuters.

We are not talking about "other" power plants, this is about Fukushima and workers after the disaster. It's not fair to even consider or compare these workers to the Fukushima one's!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Poor reporting, as usual. The ministry ruling allows compensation to be made available, but does not ascribe the illness to radiation exposure - just that it may have had an effect.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Could it be that his cancer was not caused by radiation from the plant but something that naturally happens to people, ie if he was living in Kyoto, would he still have got cancer?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Tokyo-Engr - @Do the hustle - yes it was a man made disaster but do you have some evidence that hundreds have already died due to radiation?

No, I did not state there were hundreds of deaths from radiation. I stated hundreds of deaths have occurred due to the meltdowns. The majority of themselves deaths are suicides from the hardship of being relocated. Others were from the stress of the relocation. The few who have died from cancer pale in significance for the hundreds who have already died. That is my point.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

They suddenly figured that out now? genius

5 ( +6 / -1 )

@scrote - some wear dosimeters, some are not supplied with them, some cover them with lead to enable them to keep working (they don't understand much about radiation and cancer), many use different names and go work at different plants once they get to their annual dose limit, others have data falsified, records are not properly kept. There are many accounts of this in books such as Kenji Higuchi's, articles on the nuclear gypsies, CINC website, etc..

Just search....there is a lot of information on this.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

yes just one, right....

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I thought nuclear workers wore dosimeters and were prevented from working once their annual dose exceeded a certain amount? Did this worker not wear his badge, or were the figures falsified, or did he get cancer despite receiving less than the allowed dose? Why is there no information on this?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

It's a "nuclear disaster" as much as the government want to deny it, radiation monitors that were purposely miss adjusted, to allowing shoddy companies to hire trainees the story is global, mismanagement, out right denial. Now after 7 years the truth is seeping out. The LDP created this and now want to distance them selves from any responsibility. It's absolutely depraved. Sadly those who created this mess will die hording millions while millions of people will be left to deal with the residue of their theft and greed.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

I guess they buried it for as long as they could. Get ready for THOUSANDS more deaths like this as a direct result in the next few years, and let's not forget the kids they said there were no threats to in the areas around the plant, and refused to let them leave.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

... that may be the case but it is quite plausible this guy is the first.

It is also plausible that this is the first of many that has been recognized. It's obvious (and has been proven) that the government is not telling us everything and has outright lied on occasion.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

There has already been hundreds of deaths attributed to this manmade disaster. A handful of cancer deaths are just the top of the death-berg.

No doubt

More news like this one will be published in the years to come.

This is the first but definitely not the last.

TEPCO and the government, however, will always insist that "it's no problem and everything is under control". No, it's NOT!!

Klaus- Exactly!!

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Admission of wrongdoing, meaning responsibiltiy, meaning compensation...not something they want to admit no doubt.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Actually @ Do the hustle...perhaps you are referring to the end of the article...I think the cancer and radiation related deaths will start to appear more often now.

Definitely all of these people deserve compensation!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

@Do the hustle - yes it was a man made disaster but do you have some evidence that hundreds have already died due to radiation?

3 ( +7 / -4 )

There has already been hundreds of deaths attributed to this manmade disaster. A handful of cancer deaths are just the top of the death-berg.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

A very interesting ruling. The courts have ruled many times that utilities are not liable for these deaths by cancer, as it is not possible to verify the doses absorbed or the actual cause, going back to 1995, when the first cases were exposed by the photographer and nuclear activist Kenj Higuchi.

The nuclear workers do not help their own cause, by working at different plants under different names, exceeding the NRA mandated limits, or in other cases, working without radiation meters or proper documentation, under the 6-7 layers of employment agencies that comprise the Japan Nucelar Village. The plight of the 'nuclear gypsies' is well-documented, especially by Reuters.

Let's see if they appeal!

6 ( +7 / -1 )

I guess we will start to get some more of those Fukushima food ad campaigns coming soon to counteract this bad news.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

@Yubaru - that may be the case but it is quite plausible this guy is the first. Radiation (unless the dosage is extreme) takes time to kill (as it did for this poor guy).

I would imagine there will be more cases than just this one.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

The government is going to do all it can to fight any and all claims that people died due to any radiation from Fukushima.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

Sad. For this to have happened so quickly and based on the type of cancer it would seem he inhaled Plutonium. That is some pretty scary stuff if that is the case!!

So sorry for this worker and his family.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

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