Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. has become significantly more reluctant since last year to accept a government body's recommendations for a settlement of damages claims by people affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster, government officials and lawyers involved said.
The company's tougher stance in negotiating out-of-court compensation settlements could force those affected to resort to lengthy and costly legal actions.
Lawyers representing residents of Fukushima say some have given up on taking their claims to court due to legal costs, after Tepco rejected the body's settlement proposals.