More suing TEPCO and Government for damages

March 10, 2014

Hundreds sue operator of Fukushima plant and govt

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20140310_33.html 

More people affected by the Fukushima nuclear accident are suing Tokyo Electric Power Company and the government for damages.

Groups totaling about 750 plaintiffs filed lawsuits at 8 district courts across Japan on Monday, ahead of the 3rd anniversary of the accident on Tuesday.

Two of the groups filed suits in Tokyo. One is made up of some 40 people from parts of Tamura City, Fukushima Prefecture, located within the 30-kilometer evacuation zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

The plaintiffs are seeking combined damages of 13 million dollars, saying they haven't received enough compensation for their disrupted lives.

The other group consists of 230 people from parts of Tamura that are outside the 30-kilometer zone as well as residents of adjacent Tochigi Prefecture. They are demanding redress of 46 million dollars.

The statute of limitations on seeking damages from TEPCO over the nuclear accident has been extended from 3 years to 10 years.

But defense layers say the statute of limitations for suing the government may become a point of contention.

TEPCO says it will look into the details of the suits and deal with the matter sincerely.

The government's Nuclear Regulation Authority declined to comment.

Mar. 10, 2014 - Updated 09:50 UTC

More evacuees join damages suit against state, Tokyo Electric

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20140310p2g00m0dm042000c.html 

NIIGATA/YAMAGATA, Japan (Kyodo) -- People who have evacuated to Niigata and Yamagata prefectures following the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant joined damages suits Monday against the state and the plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co., seeking 1.1 million yen in compensation each over the inconvenience they have suffered and health concerns.

In Niigata, 99 plaintiffs from 30 households joined the suit at the Niigata District Court, where 354 people from 101 households had already filed it last July, while in Yamagata 207 people in 58 households joined the suit filed by 227 plaintiffs from 62 households with the Yamagata District Court, also last July.

The total amount of claims comes to 2,277 million yen.

The plaintiffs argue they have suffered severe mental distress in their refugee lives and have health concerns, according to the complaint.

March 10, 2014(Mainichi Japan)