The Land Ministry on Thursday finalized a bill on land expropriation procedures for public construction projects by eliminating legal loopholes that could have been used by opponents as a means of resistance.
The bill would simplify procedures to collect signatures on documents confirming land ownership and to provide compensation to landowners.
It would also prohibit participants at Land Expropriation Committee sessions, the arena where compensation amounts are usually determined, from expressing opinions "irrelevant to deliberations" there.
If the plan to pass the bill during the ongoing Diet session succeeds, governments or other public corporations will instead be obliged to hold public hearings giving opponents the chance to express their opinions.
Under the current law, opponents can divide a parcel of land among many owners, all of whom must sign documents to complete the transaction. Moreover, some of the owners refuse to accept compensation money, which is needed to finalize the purchase.
The bill would allow heads of municipalities to sign documents confirming land ownership for landowners who refuse to do so, or send postal money orders instead of directly delivering compensation payments.