Who will compensate for lost homes?

September 11, 2012

1,300 households lost homes in Fukushima evacuation zones

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20120911p2g00m0dm033000c.html

FUKUSHIMA, Japan (Kyodo) -- At least 1,300 households ordered to evacuate from areas within 20 kilometers of the disaster-struck Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant lost their homes due mainly to the March 2011 tsunami, local officials said Monday.

These households had lived in Namie and five other coastal municipalities where evacuation orders were issued because of radioactive contamination from the damaged nuclear power plant.

While some evacuees are to be allowed to return to areas reclassified as safe, the cost of rebuilding their homes is expected to be a great impediment to their return.

Tokyo Electric Power Co., the operator of the damaged nuclear plant, plans to pay compensation to evacuees for radioactive contamination of their properties. But its compensation will not cover houses washed away by the tsunami.

Evacuees who lost their houses will have to depend on financial support from the central government.