原発賠償指針 被害救済を着実に前進させよ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Aug. 7, 2011)
Govt must ensure progress on N-disaster compensation
原発賠償指針　被害救済を着実に前進させよ（8月6日付・読売社説）

The government has worked out a set of interim guidelines stipulating the range of compensation for damage caused by Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.
　東京電力福島第一原子力発電所の事故被害に対する賠償の範囲や対象を定めた「中間指針」がまとまった。

This is a step toward full-fledged compensation for the nuclear crisis.
　本格的な賠償に向けて前進したことになる。

The nuclear accident has caused thousands of people to evacuate or close their businesses, so the economic cost of the disaster will be colossal.
原発事故で大勢の人が避難や休業を余儀なくされ、経済的な被害は甚大だ。

The government and TEPCO must steadily implement the relief measures called for by the guidelines.
政府と東電は、被害救済を着実に実現していかなければならない。

The government's Dispute Reconciliation Committee for Nuclear Damage Compensation compiled a second set of guidelines in late May.
　政府の原子力損害賠償紛争審査会は、５月末の２次指針で、

These guidelines suggested requiring TEPCO to pay compensation for, among other things, evacuation costs, the mental trauma suffered by affected people and damage to farmers caused by radiation scares.
The latest interim guidelines have expanded the scope of compensation to include damage caused to tourism companies by cancellations by foreign travelers, and losses resulting from foreign countries' restrictions on Japanese imports. （この部分の英訳、日本語と細かな部分で異なる）
避難費用や精神的な苦痛、農産品の風評被害などへの賠償を認める方針を示していた。
中間指針では、対象の範囲をさらに広げた。
　例えば、外国人観光客のキャンセルによる観光業者の損害や、海外の輸入規制に起因する損害などを追加した。

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New guidelines reasonable

The interim guidelines call for compensation payments to cattle farmers in 17 prefectures for financial losses caused by halted beef shipments and consumer fears that were stirred up when beef from cattle fed rice straw contaminated with radioactive cesium was shipped.
　放射性セシウムによる牛肉汚染では、出荷停止に伴う損害や、汚染されたエサ用の稲わらが流通した１７道県の風評被害も認めた。

We think providing compensation for a broad range of nuclear crisis-linked damage is fair.
　幅広い被害に対する賠償を認定したのは妥当といえる。

The range of people entitled to receive compensation has been substantially expanded compared with provisional payments made so far.
　カバーする範囲が広い分、これまでの仮払いより、

The compensation costs will skyrocket, and getting the cash into people's pockets will require more manpower.
手間も費用もけた違いとなりそうだ。

In addition, the guidelines could be reviewed at some point and the range of redress coverage expanded again.
中間指針の見直しで、賠償対象がさらに拡大する可能性もある。

TEPCO estimates compensation claims, including those in connection with nuclear scares, will number 400,000 to 500,000.
　東電は、風評被害も含めた賠償請求は４０万～５０万件にのぼると見込んでいる。

The utility's department in charge of compensation payments will be increased to more than 5,000 personnel from 1,000 now, and will start handling claims in September.
賠償の担当部門を現在の１０００人体制から５０００人以上に増やし、９月から被害者の請求に対応するという。

TEPCO will determine payout amounts by examining whether individual claims meet criteria spelled out in the guidelines.
　東電は、賠償を求められた被害が、中間指針の対象にあたるかどうかを点検し、支払額などを決める。

There likely will be times when the utility has to make tough decisions about whether some people are eligible to receive compensation, and how much they should get.
具体的な線引きや算定で、難しい判断を迫られるだろう。

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Establish support body quickly

Many people are hoping to receive financial relief as quickly as possible.
　一刻も早い救済を願う被害者は多い。

Negotiations between TEPCO and disaster victims could become very emotional.
感情的なやりとりになるケースもあるだろう。

Above all else, the compensation procedure must proceed without a hitch.
肝心なのは混乱なく賠償手続きを進めることだ。

For this purpose, the compensation system should be strengthened as the need arises.
必要に応じて体制強化を図ってもらいたい。

Disaster sufferers dissatisfied with TEPCO-proposed payments can seek arbitration through the dispute reconciliation committee.
　東電が提示した賠償額に納得できない被害者は、紛争審査会に和解の仲介を求めることができる。

Indications are that many of these cases may not reach an agreeable solution, so they will end up in the courts.
それでも折り合わず、最終的に裁判など司法の場での決着をめざす案件も相当数にのぼりそうだ。

We hope the courts and other parties in the judiciary will prepare to quickly and efficiently settle compensation-related disputes.
　裁判所をはじめ法曹界も、紛争処理を円滑に進めるための準備を怠らないでほしい。

TEPCO is short of cash as the costs of stabilizing the crippled reactors and buying fuel for thermal power generation rise.
　東電は事故収束や火力発電などの増加で出費がかさみ、資金繰りが厳しい。

It is imperative that the government financially supports TEPCO to keep the compensation process on track.
賠償を軌道に乗せるには、政府の援助が欠かせない。

A law creating a new government-backed organization tasked with securing funds to help TEPCO pay compensation has recently been enacted.
　すでに東電の損害賠償を公的に支援する「原子力損害賠償支援機構法」などが成立した。

The government must quickly craft a compensation payment support framework by setting up the envisioned organization and securing the money needed to keep it functioning.
　政府は、遅滞なく機構設立や予算の確保を進め、賠償支援の体制固めを急ぐべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 6, 2011)
（2011年8月6日01時16分 読売新聞）