Japan says repayment of TEPCO Fukushima cleanup delayed

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese government says repayment of the more than 10 trillion yen ($68 billion) government funding for cleanup and compensation for the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster has been delayed. The Board of Audit said the delay stems from technical difficulties and Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings’ worsening financial state. It said the entire process may take more than 40 years. The nuclear plant suffered triple meltdowns following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, spewing radiation and forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate. Funding for the first 11 years of the disaster has already amounted to nearly half of TEPCO’s total estimate of a cost of 22 trillion yen ($150 billion) for the decades-long project.