Fukushima: Japan to pay $12,000 to each affected family

The government ordered the operator of a tsunami-damaged nuclear plant leaking radiation to compensate each household forced to evacuate from the area, but some of the displaced said on Friday that the handout was not enough.Tens of thousands of residents unable to return to their homes near the nuclear plant are bereft of their livelihoods and possessions, unsure of when, if ever, they will be able to return home. Some have traveled hundreds of kilometres to Tokyo Electric Power Co.s headquarters in Tokyo to press their demands for compensation.Hiroaki Wada, a Trade Ministry spokesman, said on Friday that TEPCO will pay compensation as soon as possible, with families forced to evacuate getting one million yen (about $12,000) and individuals getting 750,000 yen (about $9,000). Payments are due to begin on April 28.Roughly 48,000 households living within about 30 kilometres of the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant would be eligible for the payments.