Former Fukushima nuclear plant chief dies of cancer

TEPCO says his death wasn’t due to nuclear catastrophe in 2011.

Masao Yoshida, who died from esophageal cancer yesterday, was chief manager of the Fukushima nuclear plant when the tsunami struck on March, 11, 2011 heavily damaging the cooling systems to the reactors. He was 58.

Yoshida was diagnosed with cancer in November of the same year although the plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, said it wasn’t linked to radiation from the disaster. He also suffered a brain hemorrhage in July 2012.