Japanese court opens government and TEPCO to further Fukushima claims

Members of a group of plaintiffs show off banners reading 'Winning the case' and other messages in front of the Sendai High Court after the court's ruling on the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster in Sendai, northern Japan September 30, 2020 in this photo taken by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS

TOKYO (Reuters) - A Japanese appeal court on Wednesday ruled that the state and Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) could have taken steps to prevent the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster and are therefore liable for compensation claims.

The ruling by the Sendai High Court, which upholds a lower court decision, means the government and TEPCO must pay 1.01 billion yen ($9.6 million) to 3,550 plaintiffs forced to flee their homes after a magnitude 9 earthquake triggered a tsunami that devastated the country's northeast and crippled the Fukushima nuclear plant, public broadcaster NHK reported.