Activists preparing to sue Fukushima nuclear plant suppliers

TAIPEI - Anti-nuclear activists from Taiwan and Japan are calling for participation in a proposed international group lawsuit against the equipment suppliers of a Japanese nuclear plant that suffered meltdowns in a 2011 earthquake-tsunami catastrophe, in an effort to highlight the responsibilities they have for the disaster.

With the support of 500 Taiwanese citizens (of a target of 2,000), the organisers are aiming to enlist 10,000 supporters worldwide by the end of March to file a complaint against equipment suppliers including General Electric, Toshiba and Hitachi.

Shih Shin-min, a professor of chemical engineering at National Taiwan University, questioned regulations in Taiwan and Japan under which nuclear plant equipment suppliers are exempt from responsibility for nuclear accidents. Only the nuclear plant operator and the Government are held accountable for compensation in the event of a nuclear accident, said Shih, who founded the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union.

The activists said they are seeking 100 Japanese yen (US$0.95) in mental health compensation per affected person, adding that rather than the sum of damages sought, they are trying to shake the perceived protection given to nuclear equipment manufacturers (ATI).