Tokyo air pollution lawsuit to be settled: Plaintiffs accept settlement

   In the 11-year Tokyo air pollution lawsuit, plaintiffs and defendants have all agreed to accept a court-mediated settlement.

   The 633 respiratory disease patients who filed the lawsuit as well as the defendant seven automakers on July 2 expressed to the Tokyo High Court their acceptance of the proposed settlement.

   Other defendants, including the state, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and the Metropolitan Expressway Co. Ltd., already expressed their intention to accept it.

   The court proposal includes: (1) the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will establish a system to fully subsidize the medical expenses for all entitled asthma patients in Tokyo; (2) the central and Tokyo governments as well as the expressway corporation will take measures to prevent air pollution; and (3) the seven automakers will pay a lump sum of 1.2 billion yen in compensation.

   “Our movement and public opinion calling for victims’ relief have achieved this result. We will further increase our campaign to improve the medical expense subsidy program and to fully implement anti-pollution measures. The automakers should express views on their past activities and determination to take anti-pollution measures,” stated a report that the plaintiffs, their legal team, and supporters published on the same day.

   Nishi Junji, head of the plaintiffs’ group, said, “In Tokyo, there are still some hundreds of thousands of asthma patients who are not officially recognized as air pollution victims. I think all Tokyo residents hope for the establishment of a new relief system as soon as possible. This overall settlement marks an advance that will serve as the basis for the eventual eradication of air pollution.”

- Akahata, July 3, 2007