Ex-chief of crippled Japan nuke plant has cancer

In this Nov. 12, 2011 file photo, workers in protective suits and masks wait to enter the emergency operation center at the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station in Okuma, Japan. The March 11 earthquake and tsunami caused massive death and destruction across northeastern Japan. But those who live near the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant face a burden atop the losses they've already suffered: a fear of radiation that experts say could prove more unhealthy in the long run than the still-low levels of leaked radiation itself. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder, Pool, File)

TOKYO — A utility spokesman says the former chief of Japan’s crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant has cancer but doctors do not believe it is related to radioactive exposure.

Masao Yoshida, who led the onsite effort to stabilize the plant after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, stepped down from his post on Dec. 1, citing health reasons.

His employer, Tokyo Electric Power Co., kept the details of his illness under wraps until Friday, when it confirmed he has esophageal cancer.

TEPCO spokesman Masato Yamaguchi says Yoshida was exposed to 70 milliseiverts of radiation after the crisis began. The legal limit for nuclear workers is 100 milliseiverts.

He said doctors believe Yoshida’s cancer had been developing for at least five years and is unrelated to the crisis.