TOKYO: The Tokyo High Court on Friday threw out the record amount of 13 trillion yen ($90 billion) awarded by the Tokyo District Court in 2022 as compensation for victims of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

The 42 plaintiffs included shareholders of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the operators of the Fukushima nuclear plant that blew up following the 2011 tsunami. The plaintiffs filed a civil lawsuit against four members of TEPCO’s board.

Ms. Kimura, one of the plaintiffs, expressed her determination to continue the lawsuit all the way to the Supreme Court and expressed shock that Director Muto was escaping responsibility for the nuclear disaster.

Despite being warned of the danger of a tsunami, the company failed to take preventative measures, such as building an adequate wall or situating auxiliary power units on high ground.

The High Court judges based their ruling on the “difficulty” of predicting a tsunami and earthquake and merely ordered TEPCO to take safety measures to prevent any future problems.