Dear Prime Minister Naoto Kan,

At a time when the situation at Japan's damaged nuclear power plants remains grave, the question of who is going to pay for the costs associated with this unprecedented tragedy may appear premature. Yet, in a recent news conference Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano recognized that this question must be addressed, though he expressed the opinion that Tepco should be held responsible, at least initially.

However, foreign media have reported that Tepco's commercial insurers expect the Japanese government to bear the cost, not themselves. They claim Tepco cannot be held responsible because, according to Japanese law, the operator of a nuclear facility is exempt from damages caused by a reactor if the accident is deemed to have been triggered by "a grave natural disaster of an exceptional character."