Supreme Court rules Japanese state is not liable for damages from nuclear accident

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Supreme Court rules Japanese state is not liable for damages from nuclear accident

Supreme Court rules Japanese state is not liable for damages from nuclear accident

A man is left heartbroken after the decision by the Supreme Court decided the Japanese state is not liable for damages from the Fukushima nuclear accident. (ANJ/Pierre Boutier)

Plaintiffs from Fukushima enter the Supreme Court ahead of the verdict in their case against the Japanese state in relation to the 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima. (ANJ/Pierre Boutier)

Lawyer Izutaro Mizanagi announces the verdict in front of the Supreme Court, which ruled that the state was not liable for the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe. (ANJ/ Pierre Boutier)

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17 Jun 2022 09:06:24 GMT9

Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Japan’s Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the state held no responsibility for the 2011 nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant.

The court ruled that Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) was the only entity responsible for the accident in which a 15-meter tsunami overwhelmed safety measure at the plant that resulted in explosions and severe radiation contamination.

The court found that the state had taken sufficient measures regarding the estimates of the height of the tsunami and in warning TEPCO, which, it added, was responsible for paying the 1.4 billion yen ($10.2 million) compensation to the victims.

Many people gathered in front of the Supreme Court, including hundreds from Fukushima, hoping that the state would be held at least partially responsible for the catastrophe.

For the victims who brought the suit, the result came as a shock. One, a Buddhist monk, told Arab News Japan that it was unthinkable that the country would not recognize its responsibilities.

Lawyer Izutaro Mizanagi, acting for the plaintiffs, said the decision will have an international impact as well as damaging the lives of those affected.

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