"Japan Utility Gets $12.8B Nuclear Crisis Bailout"

"TOKYO -- The Japanese utility that operates the nuclear power plant sent into meltdown by last year's tsunami received a trillion yen ($12.8 billion) public bailout Tuesday, effectively putting it under government control."

"Tokyo Electric Power Co. apologized for the 'inconvenience and anxiety' from the disaster at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant in northeastern Japan, and for raising electricity charges to cover the costs of dealing with the crisis.

The company still faces massive compensation demands from those forced to evacuate and whose land and products were contaminated by spewing radiation following the disaster that began March 11 last year."

Mari Yamaguchi reports for the Associated Press July 31, 2012.