Breaking News

Japan recognizes first death related to Fukushima cleanup

By Chie Kobayashi and Debra Goldschmidt, CNN

Updated 2027 GMT (0427 HKT) September 7, 2018

Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds.

A mountain of black bags filled with contaminated soil sits piled on a roadside in Tomioka, Fukushima. A massive national project to remove topsoil and vegetation contaminated by the Fukushima nuclear disaster will produce at least 22 million square meters of radioactive waste.
Photos: Fukushima cleanup could take 40 years
A mountain of black bags filled with contaminated soil sits piled on a roadside in Tomioka, Fukushima. A massive national project to remove topsoil and vegetation contaminated by the Fukushima nuclear disaster will produce at least 22 million square meters of radioactive waste.
Hide Caption
1 of 6
Colossal quantities of contaminated material have been collected from the Fukushima site and surrounding area. What will be done to dispose them still remains to be seen.
Photos: Fukushima cleanup could take 40 years
Colossal quantities of contaminated material have been collected from the Fukushima site and surrounding area. What will be done to dispose them still remains to be seen.
Hide Caption
2 of 6
One of hundreds of temporary storage sites for contaminated material.
Photos: Fukushima cleanup could take 40 years
One of hundreds of temporary storage sites for contaminated material.
Hide Caption
3 of 6
A giant, 780-meter sea wall under construction near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant is designed to prevent contaminated water on the site from seeping into the ocean.
Photos: Fukushima cleanup could take 40 years
A giant, 780-meter sea wall under construction near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant is designed to prevent contaminated water on the site from seeping into the ocean.
Hide Caption
4 of 6
Tetrapods piled up at Udedo port in Namie, Fukushima, waiting to be used for a 7 meter high, 3 kilometer long breakwater along the coast line.
Photos: Fukushima cleanup could take 40 years
Tetrapods piled up at Udedo port in Namie, Fukushima, waiting to be used for a 7 meter high, 3 kilometer long breakwater along the coast line.
Hide Caption
5 of 6
Prior to the wall's construction, radioactive water and materials readily seeped into the ocean, threatening local fishing stocks and causing potentially irreversible damage to the sea floor.
Photos: Fukushima cleanup could take 40 years
Prior to the wall's construction, radioactive water and materials readily seeped into the ocean, threatening local fishing stocks and causing potentially irreversible damage to the sea floor.
Hide Caption
6 of 6
fukushima soil 1fukushima soil 2fukushima sea wall 3fukushima sea wall 7fukushima sea wall 1fukushima sea wall 6

(CNN)The Japanese government has recognized the first death associated with cleanup work at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant after the tsunami disaster in March 2011, according to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

The government designated the death of an unnamed man in his 50s as an "industrial accident." The man, who had worked at the plant from 1980 to 2015, was diagnosed with lung cancer in February 2016.
Japan: Fukushima clean-up may take up to 40 years, plant's operator says
Japan: Fukushima clean-up may take up to 40 years, plant's operator says
After the 2011 tsunami that was triggered by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake, the man was assigned to "radiation control" work in which he was responsible for monitoring radiation levels and work time of cleanup crews.
    The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare recognized his cancer and death as related to his work at the plant. A committee of experts determined his accumulated radiation level exceeded government standards.
    Kunihiko Konagamitsu of the ministry said 17 workers had applied to be considered cases with an "industrial accident" designation, including three with leukemia and one with thyroid cancer. Two workers withdrew their requests, five were dismissed, and five are still under review.