英字新聞

--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 20
EDITORIAL: Extent of suffering key to compensating Fukushima evacuees
（社説）原発自主避難　被害に応じた賠償を

An estimated 100,000 or so people are still living as evacuees as a consequence of the catastrophic accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in March 2011.
　東京電力福島第一原発事故で故郷を離れて避難している人はいまも約１０万人にのぼる。

This figure comprises about 18,000 evacuees who acted on their own initiative and fled from the 23 municipalities in Fukushima Prefecture that are outside government-designated evacuation zones. They include people who lived in areas that are not covered by the government-supported compensation program.
　このうち、国が避難指示などを出した区域の外側にある福島県内の２３市町村から別の場所に自主的に避難した人は、賠償対象区域の外側の人も含め、推計で約１万８千人いる。

The circumstances of their decisions to leave their hometowns are more or less similar to those of the people who fled from areas covered by the evacuation orders. Many of them were concerned about the health of their children or found it difficult to continue their businesses in the affected areas.
　「子どもの健康が不安だから」「商売ができなくなった」
　逃げざるを得なかった事情は避難指示区域内の住民と総じて大きくは変わらない。

But compensation paid to these “voluntary evacuees” by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), the operator of the crippled nuclear plant, ranging from 120,000 yen to 720,000 yen ($1,000 to $6,400) per person, was far smaller than the amounts received by residents of the evacuation areas.
だが、東電からの慰謝料は１人あたり１２万〜７２万円と、区域内の住民と比べて大きな隔たりがある。

On Feb. 18, a local court handed down a ruling that may open the door to greater relief for these evacuees.
　一昨日、自主避難者の救済に道を開く司法判断が示された。

The Kyoto District Court ordered TEPCO to pay about 30 million yen to a man and his wife for mental illnesses the husband suffered following their “voluntary evacuation” from the calamitous accident. The man, who is in his 40s, together with his wife and three children, filed a lawsuit against the utility seeking 180 million yen in damages, claiming he became unable to work because of mental and physical problems caused by the effects of the nuclear disaster.
　福島県から京都市に自主避難した４０代男性が、原発事故の影響で心身に不調をきたし、働けなくなったとして妻子４人とともに東電に損害賠償を求めた訴訟で、京都地裁は約３千万円を支払うよう東電に命じた。

Concerned about the possibility of his children’s exposure to radiation, the man decided to leave his home with his family. After they fled, the family stayed at hotels and lived in rented accommodation outside the prefecture.
　男性は子どもの被曝（ひばく）を恐れて避難を決意し、県外のホテルや賃貸住宅を転々とした。

As he had to live in unfamiliar surroundings, the man developed insomnia and depression. The district court acknowledged that the nuclear accident was the cause of these health problems.
慣れない生活から不眠症やうつ病を発症した。地裁はこれらを原発事故が原因だと認めた。

Compensation payments to such voluntary evacuees are based on guidelines set by a central government panel addressing disputes over compensation for nuclear accidents. The guidelines say compensation payments should be based on three factors: increases in living expenses due to evacuation, mental damages and expenses incurred in fleeing and returning home.
　自主避難者への賠償は、国の原子力損害賠償紛争審査会（原陪審）が決めた指針に沿って支払われている。指針は、（１）生活費の増加分（２）精神的損害（３）避難や帰宅に要した費用――を基本に算定するというものだ。

TEPCO had paid a total of 2.92 million yen to the family based on the guidelines, but the family claimed the compensation was insufficient.
　男性側にも指針に基づき東電から２９２万円が支払われたが、不十分だと訴えていた。

In its ruling, the district court argued that the guidelines only show “items and scope of damages that can be classified according to type.”
　判決で京都地裁は指針について「類型化が可能な損害項目や範囲を示したものに過ぎない」と指摘、

The ruling showed the view that damages with a causal link to the accident should be compensated for according to the circumstances involved. The basic principle for compensation espoused by the ruling is that the amounts of damages to be paid should be determined according to the circumstances of individual cases instead of being uniform and fixed.
事故と因果関係のある被害は事情に応じて賠償すべきだとの考え方を示した。賠償金額は個別事情に則して決定すべきで、一律な線引きは許されない、という賠償のあり方そのものを問うたといえる。

Compensation payments to victims of the nuclear disaster, such as evacuees and affected businesses, come out of a 9 trillion yen treasure chest provided by the government to TEPCO.
　福島の被災者への賠償は、国が東電に９兆円を援助し、東電がこの中から避難住民や企業に賠償金を払う仕組みだ。

With its management priority placed on its own early recovery from the consequences of the accident, however, the electric utility has been trying to terminate the payments as soon as possible and keep the amounts within the framework set by the guidelines. The company’s compensation policy has been criticized for failing to make the benefit of residents a primary consideration.
　だが経営再建をめざす東電は、賠償の早めの打ち切りや枠内で極力抑えようとし、救済が住民本位になっていないという批判がある。

About 10,000 evacuees are involved as plaintiffs in damages suits filed with 21 district courts and branches around the country. This points to the high level of discontent with the compensation payments that have been paid out.
　避難者らが起こした集団訴訟は、全国２１地裁・支部で続いている。原告の総数は約１万人にのぼり、相当数の人が正当な賠償を受けていないという不満を抱えている。

TEPCO should respond with appropriate sincerity to the demands of victims entitled to compensation and review its compensation policy and procedures.
　東電は賠償対象者に誠実に向き合い、賠償対応のあり方を見直すべきだ。

The courts that are hearing these cases should hand down rulings that give sufficient consideration to the plight of the victims.
集団訴訟を扱う裁判所も、被害者の窮状を十分にくんだ判断をしてもらいたい。