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No costs for nuclear firms that built Fukushima reactors, but residents must pay back compensation

 the firms that helped design and build the Fukushima reactors, such as General Electric, Toshiba and Hitachi, are not required to pay a cent in compensation.

Aslihan Tumer, Greenpeace’s international nuclear project leader, says some of the companies are continuing to profit from the reactor.

“Nuclear suppliers are completely protected from accepting any liability or being held accountable in case of an accident,” he said.

Residents paying back Fukushima compensation ABC News, By North Asia correspondent Mark Willacy Feb 19, 2013  Nearly two years on from the meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear plant, there are accusations the nuclear industry is evading its responsibilities.

The disaster has mostly dropped out of the news in Japan and its victims remain largely hidden after being placed in tiny, so-called temporary apartments across the country.

The ABC has learned that TEPCO, the operator of the Fukushima plant, is handing out what are called “temporary compensation” payments – money handed out to victims of the meltdowns, but which must be repaid…..

‘Completely protected’

A report by Greenpeace, due to be released today, points out the firms that helped design and build the Fukushima reactors, such as General Electric, Toshiba and Hitachi, are not required to pay a cent in compensation.

Aslihan Tumer, Greenpeace’s international nuclear project leader, says some of the companies are continuing to profit from the reactor.

“Nuclear suppliers are completely protected from accepting any liability or being held accountable in case of an accident,” he said.

“GE designed Fukushima Mark 1 reactor, and both GE, Hitachi and Toshiba built and continued servicing the reactor, and they are also still making, in some cases, money out of the cleaning efforts, as well as the contamination.”

With the operator TEPCO effectively nationalised, the Japanese taxpayer is now picking up most of the compensation bill for the disaster.

Ms Kameya’s testimony is one of several evacuee stories contained in a separate Greenpeace report, which claims the tens of thousands of victims of the meltdowns are still denied fair compensation two years on from the disaster….. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-19/companies-not-paying-compensation-at-fukushima/4528150

February 22, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Fukushima 2013, Japan