TEPCO dodges Fukushima disaster responsibility

This music video is the Japanese punk rock band Scrap, playing their song Fuck TEPCO; with English subtitles.

From daily The Morning Star in Britain:

Tepco dodging liability because of takeover – UN

Sunday 26 May 2013

UN special rapporteur Anand Grover said at the weekend that the Japanese government takeover of Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) had allowed the utility firm to evade responsibility for the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Mr Grover pointed to problems with the handling of the crisis, including a difficult process for seeking compensation for radiation exposure, a lack of openness about health risks and inadequate protection for plant workers.

It cited “serious challenges” and called on the government to involve affected communities, provide accurate information and do more to protect vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, the disabled and the elderly.

The government’s majority stake in the company “has arguably helped Tepco to avoid liability for damages,” forcing financial responsibility onto taxpayers.

It said the government should address concerns over “Tepco attempts to reduce compensation levels and delay settlement” and expressed concern over nuclear plant workers, saying many of them are “poor and some even homeless.”

TEPCO puts radioactive water decontamination process on hold, yet another leak detected: here.

TEPCO Ties To The Yakuza: Gone? Police Sources Still Skeptical. by Jake Andelstein: here.

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