The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has decided to ask all of the major power companies, except Okinawa Electric Power Company, and new electricity providers to shoulder 2.4 trillion yen of the overall compensation totaling 8 trillion yen to victims of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster, in light of soaring compensation costs beyond the original estimates. The new power providers are expected to shoulder 10% of this amount. This amount will be added to their fees for using power grids over 40 years from 2020. Consumers will ultimately shoulder the extra cost in their electricity charges.

A METI experts’ panel will make a formal decision on the plan on Dec. 9. (Abridged)