A total of 269 cases linked to work at the crippled Fukushima No. 1 power plant have been deemed as job-related accidents and covered by compensation since the 2011 nuclear disaster, labor ministry officials have said, underscoring the harsh conditions onsite workers continue to face.
The workers' compensation claims that have been recognized by labor authorities include six cases of workers who developed cancer or leukemia due to radiation exposure, and four others who suffered from overwork-related illnesses, labor ministry officials said Thursday.
Decommissioning of the Fukushima plant is still underway nearly 10 years after the massive earthquake and tsunami that devastated the Tohoku region triggered a triple meltdown at the Fukushima plant. To this day, about 4,000 people still work on site every day, with many at risk of radiation exposure.