Japan nuclear victims demand compensation

Angry refugees forced from their homes near Japan's wrecked nuclear power plant protested outside the HQ of its operator today, demanding compensation.

"I can't work and that means I have no money," said Shigeaki Konno, 73, a mechanic, who lived seven miles from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant before he was evacuated along with tens of thousands of others due to radiation fears.

"The talk about compensation is not concrete. We need it quickly."

The protest by about 20 small business owners from communities near the plant reflects growing public frustration with Tokyo-based Tepco's handling of the nuclear crisis.

Its president, Masataka Shimizu, and other company executives bowed in apology, once again today after Shimizu pledged to do more to help compensate residents unable to return home or work due to the accident.

Cash payments are being "readied as soon as possible," Mr Shimizu said.

He said the company "will do our utmost" to get the plant's reactors under control and curb radiation leaks that prompted the government to revise its rating of the incident to the worst possible, on a par with the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

Tepco manager Kensuke Takeuchi told the protesters the company was not yet prepared to give any money, but he promised to convey their demands to higher level management.

"You are eating a warm meal every day," said Mr Konno, complaining that the two pieces of bread provided daily at the evacuation centre where he is staying were not fit to be fed to dogs.

"I am not asking for anything more than I am entitled to. I just want my due," said Ichijiro Ishikawa, 69, a building worker who lived eight miles from the plant.

The nuclear crisis has hit farmers and fishermen in north-eastern Japan hardest, although widespread damage to factories, ports and other infrastructure is also taking a huge toll on the economy.

The government downgraded its economic outlook for the first time in six months today, saying that drops in production and consumer spending would be a drag on growth.