The government of Japan on July 20, 2012 set new compensation guidelines, for ten thousands of people who were forced to evacuate an area around the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant last year. Some of them even able to claim the full value of their home.
The victims can claim the pre-disaster market value of a home if it remains uninhabitable for at least six years due to radiation contamination. Half of the amount will be paid to those who return in three years.
Most of the compensation will be paid out by the plant operator Tokyo Electric Power. The new rules of compensation allows for as much as 6.75 million yen in claims for furniture, appliances and other personal belongings.
Moreover, there will also be payouts for those who lost their employment income or have suffered mental anguish due to the disaster. More detail are expected to be released by TEPCO about the compensation plans early next week. But minister Yukio Edano on July 20, 2012 said that the rules were the minimum that it could pay out. The company is at present dealing with tens of thousands of residents who left their homes and businesses after the disaster. But reaching settlements has been slow.