The Japanese government has ordered the operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to pay households evacuated from the area surrounding the complex one million yen each (about $12,000), a top official said Friday morning.

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Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Banri Kaieda said Friday that evacuees from within a 30-kilometer radius around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will receive preliminary compensation soon. He said that Tokyo Electric Power Co., or Tepco, has so far prepared 50 billion yen ($600 million) in cash for preliminary compensation.