Osaka Court Orders TEPCO to Pay 90 Million Yen to Nuclear Evacuees

On September 2, 2026, the Osaka District Court ruled that Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. (TEPCO) must pay approximately 90 million yen in damages to 103 plaintiffs from 53 households who evacuated following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. The lawsuit, filed by 221 individuals from 79 households, sought compensation from both TEPCO and the Japanese government. However, the court did not recognize the government's responsibility, citing a 2022 Supreme Court ruling that suggested the accident could have occurred even if regulatory authorities had exercised their powers. The court acknowledged TEPCO's liability under the nuclear damage compensation law, which holds operators accountable regardless of negligence. This decision underscores the ongoing legal and social ramifications of the Fukushima disaster, highlighting the challenges evacuees face in seeking redress and the complexities involved in assigning responsibility for large-scale industrial accidents.