Japan Press Weekly

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2012 November 21 - 27 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

Fukushima N-accident victims push TEPCO and gov’t for compensation

Fukushima nuclear accident victims and their supporters on November 20 negotiated with TEPCO, the industry ministry, and the science ministry about compensatory measures in the Diet building.

About 200 participants in the negotiation also included pollution victims, their lawyers, and environmentalists.

In the negotiation, the Fukushima NPP operator and the government were expected to decommission all nuclear reactors in Fukushima Prefecture; provide full compensation for all N-accident victims; restore areas affected by the nuclear accident to their original state and clean up the areas; and establish a system enabling all N-accident victims to receive health check-ups and necessary medical services.

Officials of Tokyo Electric Power Company said in reply, “The company will make compensatory payment based on interim guidelines set by the science ministry’s screening panel on compensation for nuclear accidents.”

Industry ministry officials said, “The guidelines offer minimum standards for payment. The utility will be asked to compensate for damages even if it isn’t included in the guidelines.” Science ministry officials showed a wait-and-see attitude.

Osaka City University assistant professor Yokemoto Masafumi in an Akahata interview on November 20 said,

“To estimate the amount of recompense to be paid to nuclear accident victims is difficult. However, at the beginning, TEPCO’s shareholders, creditors, and TEPCO-related businesses should bear the cost for compensation payments.”

“The government’s liability for the accident will possibly be called into question under the State Redress Act. It is important to make clear the government’s responsibility for the accident by having the government admit errors in its policy for nuclear power generation such as insufficient preventive measures to lessen the potential for accidents,” he added.