Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Dec. 23 the ruling coalition parties will craft legislation to pay uniform compensation to everyone who contracted hepatitis C through tainted blood products and submit the bill to the Diet this session.

Fukuda said he reached the decision in a bid "to achieve a breakthrough" in stalled negotiations over an out-of-court settlement of damages suits filed by the hepatitis C patients against the government and drug makers.

"As a result of consultations in the Liberal Democratic Party, we have decided to devise a lawmaker-initiated bill to aid all of the sufferers uniformly," Fukuda, who is also LDP president, told media, adding he has obtained approval from New Komeito, the LDP's coalition partner.

"We have to hold Diet deliberations and of course we need the cooperation of the opposition parties," he said. "I would like to have this issue resolved as early as possible."

Following Fukuda's announcement, Toshihiro Suzuki, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs, read out a statement describing the move as "a major step forward."

"I hope this will lead to resolving the issue," Suzuki said at a news conference. He added, however, that the contents of the measure remain uncertain.

Michiko Yamaguchi, representative of the plaintiffs, welcomed Fukuda's announcement but remained cautious about whether the plan will be satisfactory.

"I cannot be assured until I fully understand the contents of the plan. At this point, I'm half happy, half worried," Yamaguchi, 51, said.