The family of a farmer who waged a vigorous campaign against the 1971 expropriation of her home and rice paddies for the construction of Narita airport said Saturday they have agreed to settle a 21-year-old court battle with the government.
The family of the late Yone Koizumi -- her adopted son Hidemasa, 52, and his wife -- said the government has apologized for the expropriation and the two sides plan to formally settle the case Monday at the Supreme Court.
Government and judiciary sources said Friday that the government had decided to settle the case. They said the proposal to settle came from the government.
Under the settlement terms, the government will admit it did not pay due consideration in ordering the expropriation of the premises where Koizumi lived and worked, according to the sources.
Koizumi died in December 1973, and the airport began operations in May 1978.
Koizumi's family filed the lawsuit against the government in November 1980, demanding the central and local governments reverse their decision to expropriate the land.
The Tokyo District Court ruled against the Koizumi family in June 1988 and the decision was upheld by the Tokyo High Court in August 1993. The courts said the expropriation procedures were legitimate.
The government's recent decision to admit lack of administrative consideration apparently stems from plans in the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry to resolve differences in a less confrontational manner.
The government is now building a second runway at Narita airport, Tokyo's main international gateway, on land where Koizumi's family still lives. The family, however, said they have no plans to move.
Koizumi, who was eventually evicted by riot police from her house on the land where Narita airport's single runway is built, was among the first to join the campaign by landowners against the airport project.