A corporate law expert says a court ruling in Japan on Wednesday was the first case in the country in which the responsibility of a nuclear power plant operator was at issue over risks of natural disasters such as tsunami and earthquakes.

Tokyo District Court ordered four former directors of Tokyo Electric Power Company to pay about 97 billion dollars in damages to the utility.

TEPCO shareholders pointed out the company incurred massive losses from the 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Iseda Michihito, a professor at Kwansei Gakuin University, told NHK that the ruling highlights the special nature of the nuclear power business, as a serious accident could cause grave damage to the entire country.

He said the court apparently acknowledged that executives of nuclear power companies bear a heavy responsibility.

Iseda added that the ruling shows that if such accident occurs, there will be demands for a huge amount of damage compensation, and that will have a big impact on the thinking of other nuclear power companies.