Victims in Fukushima accuse gov't for neglecting aid

Some 19 Fukushima residents and evacuees have accused the Japanese government for neglecting aid in implementing a law enacted last June to help those nuclear victims, local press reported Friday.

The Tokyo District Court has accepted the charge filed Thursday, which aims to have the government acknowledge the eligibility of the plaintiffs for aid under the law by seeking a nominal 1 yen in damages for each plaintiff, Kyodo News reported.

Their lawyer Kenji Fukuda told reporters after the filing "The Reconstruction Agency in charge of the matter is intentionally not paying heed to the issue."

The lawsuit alleges it is illegal that the state has not taken steps to implement measures under the law designed to provide support to relocation, schooling, employment and to subsidize health care costs for children and pregnant women.

One of the plaintiffs, Yasuhiro Tanji, 36, has fled to Okayama City from Fukushima City with his whole family.

"I have no idea what will happen to health care arrangements for children. We want the government to formulate (the guidelines) soon," he told the press conference.