Town in Fukushima demands 19.2 billion Yen in compensation for lost real estate
The town of Futaba, which fell within the exclusion zone around the Fukushima nuclear plant, is demanding 19.2 billion Yen (234 million USD) in compensation from TEPCO for the loss of use of the town's real estate.
The town is claiming damages for loss of use to town-owned land, government buildings and schools. There are a total of 51 unusable buildings that were mentioned in the claim. A representative from TEPCO said this was the first time they received a real estate related claim from a town or city.Read more
High radiation levels from concrete in new apartment building
On January 15, the Cabinet Office's Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters and the Nihonmatsu City Council in Fukushima Prefecture announced that radiation levels of 1.24 microsieverts/hour were detected in a brand new 3-storey apartment building in the city. The levels exceed the radiation levels found outdoors and residents from the 1st floor of the building have been advised to move elsewhere.Read more
Houses in Iwate City to be decontaminated
Decontamination work has begun on houses in the Shidamyo and Ogi areas in Kawamaemachi-Shimookeuri, Iwaki City. The residential neighborhoods are 28 km south-west of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. By the end of this year they will have decontaminated 7 homes and by March, 2012, they hope to have decontaminated a total of 46 homes.
The area was reported as a hotspot with outside radiation levels of 1 ~ 3 microsievert/hr. In the initial days of the nuclear disaster, residents were ordered to remain indoors. The order was lifted on April 22nd. The city hopes that decontamination will reduce the level to below 0.5 microsievert/hr. Once the work is complete, they will re-measure the homes.Read more
7 Fukushima Golf Courses sue TEPCO for lost revenue
On November 30, 2011, seven of the forty golf clubs that form the Fukushima Prefectural Golf Association filed a claim against TEPCO for damages arising from loss of income.
The clubs have reported a total loss in revenue of 247 million Yen (3.16 million Yen) between March and August, 2011, which they say was directly attributed to the radiation fears from the troubled nuclear power plant.Read more
Land purchases in tsunami-affected prefectures to be monitored
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced on August 1 that plans have been made to monitor land transactions made in tsunami-affected prefectures in Northern Japan. From now on, experts are predicting a sudden jump in prices for elevated land in the disaster-stricken areas, so the three affected Prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima will be monitoring and sharing the data of land transactions.
As the coastal areas that were devastated by the March tsunami move towards rebuilding, there is growing fear that the elevated tracts of land that escaped the tsunami will see steep price rises as real estate companies and developers seek to buy up the land.Read more