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2016 November 23 - 29 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Ex-worker at Fukushima NPP sues TEPCO for causing his leukemia

A man who had developed leukemia after working at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court on November 22 seeking compensation from the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO).

The plaintiff, 42, living in Fukuoka’s Kitakyushu City, claims about 59 million yen in damages. As a worker of a subcontracting company, he had been engaged in welding at the Fukushima Daiichi and Daini nuclear power plants between October 2011 and December 2013. His exposure to radiation totaled 19.8 mSv during that period of time.

After that, the worker had health problems and saw a doctor. In January 2014, he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and was hospitalized. His illness was officially recognized as work-related in October 2015.

The plaintiff argues in his complaint that TEPCO knowingly exposed him to excessively high-level radiation by failing to implement appropriate safety measures.

Past related article:
> 32K Fukushima workers exposed to radiation exceeding standards for work-related leukemia recognition [March 7, 2016]