Press Releases 2013

We deeply apologize to the people in the surrounding areas of our Fukushima Daiichi and Daini Nuclear Power Stations and broader society for the tremendous inconvenience and anxiety caused by the accident at the power stations (hereinafter the "Accident").

Today, we would like to make an announcement concerning the permanent compensation for individuals. The announcement covers details, as follows, of: our dispatch of the ninth compensation application forms (for an applicable claim period from June 1 to August 31, 2013); and how recipients who have used the conventional claim method up to the eighth application (for an applicable claim period from March 1 to May 31, 2013) can switch to the Comprehensive Claim Method (under which compensation that has accrued and will accrue during a specified period, including a future period, shall be payable in one lump sum) if they would like to switch on this occasion.

1. The dispatch of ninth compensation application forms to individual recipients

Today, we have started accepting request for, and sending out, the ninth application forms to the individuals who have agreed with the eighth compensation under the conventional claim method. We will start accepting the application forms from September 24, 2013.

Also today, we have started sequentially sending out the ninth application forms for compensation for life and physical damages to the individuals who have agreed with the eighth compensation for life and physical damages. We will start accepting the application from September 24, 2013.

If you are applying for compensation for the first time or have a change of address, please contact the "Fukushima Nuclear Compensation Office (Call Center)" below.

2. Switching to the Comprehensive Claim Method from the conventional claim method for the ninth and subsequent application

With regards to the Comprehensive Claim Method, we sent an announcement along with the fifth application forms (for an applicable claim period from June 1 to August 31, 2012) to the individuals. We have been applying the Comprehensive Claim Method to those who then selected the Comprehensive Claim Method.

Meanwhile, those who selected the conventional claim method for the fifth application have been requested to use the conventional claim method continuously for the sixth application (for an applicable claim period from September 1 to November 30, 2012) and later. However, we decided to proceed with acceptance of switching of the claim methods for those who would like to switch to the Comprehensive Claim Method for the ninth and subsequent application ^{[Note 1]}.
[Note 1] If you would not select the Comprehensive Claim Method and would like to request the ninth application form, please contact the "Fukushima Nuclear Compensation Office (Call Center)" below, as we have started accepting request for, and sending out, the ninth application forms under the conventional claim method today.

(1) Recipients who are applicable for the switching

Those who have agreed with the eighth and earlier compensation application under the conventional claim method are applicable if they meet either of the following conditions.
- As of the date of the Accident, had residence within the evacuation order areas^*1
- As of the date of the Accident, had work or had been scheduled to start work in places within the evacuation order areas

(2) Applicable period

An applicable period, for which compensation shall be payable, is defined as a period starting from June 1, 2013 and ending in a month when the applicable period under the Comprehensive Claim Method ends^*2.

(3) Compensation items and amounts

As in the case where the Comprehensive Claim Method was selected for the fifth and subsequent compensation applications, compensation that has accrued and will accrue within the applicable period shall be payable in one lump sum with respect to each compensation item as shown in the table below.

In a case where, due to a future decision on the prospective time when the evacuation order will be lifted or the time when the evacuation order will be lifted, the applicable period is changed in such a manner as to include a period that has not been included in the applicable period, additional compensation shall be payable according to the new applicable period.

Further, with respect to each of the compensation items "Loss for being out of work", "Amount equivalent to expenses incurred for evacuation, returning home, etc.", and "Amount equivalent to expenses incurred for rents", an actual expense (actual loss) that has accrued and will accrue in excess of the compensation already paid out for the compensation item under the Comprehensive Claim Method shall be additionally paid (adjusted) to the extent of necessity and reasonability after confirmation is made with necessary documentation. (Previously announced on June 27, 2013)

[Note 2] In a case where a decision on the prospective time when the evacuation order will be lifted or the time when the evacuation order will be lifted is made after the application for compensation, the following amount shall be added:
 (15,000 yen [10,000 yen for the sixth or subsequent person in a household] × the number of months by which the prospective time when the evacuation order will be lifted exceeds the standard period + 5,000 yen × the number of years by which the prospective time when the evacuation order will be lifted exceeds the standard period) × the number of household members
[Note 3] We will make a separate announcement later regarding rents incurred after April 1, 2014.

(4) Dispatch and acceptance of the compensation application forms

Compensation application forms under the Comprehensive Claim Method for a period starting from June 1 will be sequentially sent out from October 9, 2013. Please contact the "Fukushima Nuclear Compensation Office (Call Center)" below if you need the application form.

(5) Other relevant information

If you are to select switching to the Comprehensive Claim Method for the period starting from June 1, please make sure not to apply for the ninth compensation under the conventional claim method.

*1 Evacuation order area is any area that shall be treated as an "evacuation order area" as defined in the "Second Supplement to the Interim Guidelines for Determining the Scope of Nuclear Damages due to the Accident at TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi and Daini Nuclear Power Stations", excluding the specific spots recommended for evacuation.

*2 Month when the applicable period under the Comprehensive Claim Method ends^* is determined as follows:
- For those who had main residence in the difficult-to-return areas at the time of the Accident, the month shall be set to May 31, 2017; and
- For those who had main residence in the living-restricted areas and the evacuation-order lifting preparation areas at the time of the Accident, the month shall be set to the end of the standard periods (May 31, 2014 for the living-restricted areas; and May 31, 2013 for the evacuation-order lifting preparation areas) until the prospective time when the evacuation order will be lifted or the time when the evacuation order will be lifted is decided.
For those who had main residence in the evacuation-order lifting preparation area for which the prospective time when the evacuation order will be lifted or the time when the evacuation order will be lifted was not decided at the end of the standard period, the month shall be set to the end of a certain period beyond the standard period.

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<Contact Info for Nuclear Accident Damage Claims>
Fukushima Nuclear Compensation Office (Call Center)
Telephone: 0120-926-404
Time: 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
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