Three residents of the village of Tokai, Ibaraki Prefecture, home to Japan's worst nuclear accident, said Monday they will seek compensation for health hazards from the operator of the uranium processing plant and its parent company.

The plaintiffs said they will probably file the suit against Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. and plant operator JCO Co. at the beginning of September, with the Mito District Court. The three are Shoichi Oizumi, 74, owner of an auto parts company; his 62-year-old wife, Keiko; and a mailman in his 30s who wishes to remain anonymous.

It will be the first lawsuit filed by residents claiming to have suffered health damage from the deadly accident.