Masaru Kameiwa, a 30-year-old worker, suffered severe burns when non-radioactive superheated steam escaped from a ruptured pipe in the turbine room at the power station run by Kansai Electric Co. on August 9.

The accident at Mihama, 350 kilometres (220 miles) west of Tokyo, was the deadliest at a Japanese nuclear power plant.

"Five people are still in hospital, receiving medical treatment," said a spokesman for Kansai Electric, Japan's second largest power company.

The victims were all employees of a local company preparing to inspect the plant.

Kansai Electric has since shut down the reactor and admitted that the ruptured pipe had not been properly checked for 28 years and the thickness of the steel had fallen below the legal minimum due to corrosion.

Police and the central government are investigating the company for possible negligence.

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