Families sue TEPCO (follow-up)

August 23, 2013

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20130823p2g00m0dm017000c.html

FuFukushima nuclear victims sue government for neglecting aid

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A group of 19 Fukushima residents and evacuees on Thursday sued the government for what they see as inaction in implementing a law enacted in June last year to provide support to those affected by the nuclear crisis.

The lawsuit, filed with the Tokyo District Court, aims to have the government acknowledge the eligibility of the plaintiffs for aid under the law by seeking a nominal 1 yen in damages for each plaintiff.

"The Reconstruction Agency in charge of the matter is intentionally not paying heed" to the issue, their lawyer, Kenji Fukuda, said at a press conference after the filing.

The suit alleges it is illegal that the state has not taken steps to implement measures under the law designed to offer support for relocation, schooling, employment as well as to subsidize health care costs for children and pregnant women.

The law stipulates that residents in, or evacuees from, places where a certain amount of radiation from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has been recorded are entitled to government support.

The lawsuit cites a lack of a basic policy detailing radiation levels that warrant eligibility for aid as well as specific measures of support.

The plaintiffs said similar basic policies were established under many laws within a year after they were enacted.

One of the plaintiffs, Yasuhiro Tanji, 36, has fled to Okayama City from Fukushima City with his whole family. "I have no idea what will happen to health care arrangements for children. We want the government to formulate (the guidelines) soon," he said at the press conference.

The central government has apparently faced difficulty in striking a balance in determining aid eligibility criteria as evacuees seek broad areas of coverage while local governments are concerned such aid coverage designation under the law could prompt an outflow of population.