On August 3, 2011, the National Diet of Japan approved legislation to compensate those adversely affected by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear meltdown. Though total damages are expected to be higher, the government began by pledging two trillion yen (USD $25.9 billion). The events at Fukushima were the largest nuclear disaster since the 1986 Chernobyl incident. The reactors failed following a March 2011 tsunami. The full effects of the disaster are still unknown, but throughout the region, farmers, residents and wildlife have all been adversely affected. The meltdown has ignited public outcries against nuclear energy and the Japanese response to the disaster has been sharply criticized.

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Learn more about Japan from the JURIST news archive, and read commentary on international nuclear energy policy from JURIST Guest Columnist Tamar Cerafici in Forum.

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