Japan govt to ask TEPCO to scale back rate hike-Asahi

TOKYO Jan 31 (Reuters) - Japan's government is set to ask Tokyo Electric Power to scale back planned electricity rate hikes for corporate users, the Asahi newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The operator of the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant this month announced rate hikes for businesses by an average 17 percent from April but the government wants Tepco to cut rates again in the autumn, the newspaper said.

In addition to a surge in costs to pay for fossil fuel, Tepco also faces massive compensation and cleanup costs in the wake of the nuclear crisis. (Reporting by Nobuhiro Kubo; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)