Suits filed against Tepco in nuke disaster

TOKYO, March 12 (UPI) -- Residents living near Tokyo Electric Power's crippled nuclear reactor sued Tepco and the Japanese government for radiation exposure and forced evacuations.

The four suits involving 1,650 plaintiffs were filed Monday, demanding the government and Tepco pay compensation and restore radiation exposure to pre-disaster levels, Jiji Press reported Tuesday.

The plaintiffs seeking damages estimated to be at least 5.36 billion yen (about $55.7 billion).

The lawsuits came as Japan marked the second anniversary of the monster earthquake and tsunami that triggered the nuclear crisis at Tepco's Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in March 2011.

The plaintiffs are asking that the government and Tepco reduce radiation levels to those before the disaster and pay 50,000 yen (about $520) per person a month until the restoration is complete.