Fukushima nuclear plant manager died of cancer

Two years after the tsunami, he died „Hero of Fukushima“

12/07/2013

Masao Yoshida, former head of the damaged nuclear power plant in Fukushima, died of esophageal cancer two years after the devastating tsunami last Tuesday. The man was born in Japan „Hero of Fukushima“ because he overruled orders and thus prevented an even greater catastrophe.

Former Fukushima nuclear plant manager prevented further meltdowns
According to the operator of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant, Tepco, the former plant director died of esophageal cancer in a hospital last Tuesday. However, there is no connection between the illness of 58-year-old Masao Yoshida and the accident.

The former head of the nuclear power plant is called in Japan as „Hero of Fukushima“ celebrated because his brave actions prevented an even worse catastrophe - more meltdowns. Despite Tepco's orders, Masao Yoshida made sure that seawater was pumped into the damaged reactors for cooling in the first hours after the arrival of the tsunami on March 11, 2011, knowing that the plant would be irreparably destroyed. Supposedly, he even ignored instructions from the Japanese prime minister. „I thought several times that I was going to die“, Masao Yoshida later reported about the dramatic hours after the tsunami.

Esophageal cancer of the Fukushima nuclear plant manager is allegedly unrelated to disaster
Despite his courageous efforts, the man was accused after the accident to be partly to blame for the disaster, as he had not provided sufficient protection against tsunamis. Masao Yoshida publicly apologized for this. He had not imagined that a tsunami could take on such proportions, he explained.

For a long time, the former director of the nuclear reactor tried to keep his illness secret. In November 2011, he left Tepco after 33 years with the company. Whether esophageal cancer actually has nothing to do with the disaster can only be speculated. Tepco thinks a connection is very unlikely. (Ag)

Image: Thommy Weiss