The Kumamoto District Court proposed March 15 a ¥2.1 million lump sum and monthly medical allowances for each previously unrecognized patient claiming to suffer from Minamata disease, plus a ¥2.95 billion settlement for their group, their lawyers said.

The proposed settlement terms were presented by presiding Judge Ryosuke Takahashi at the fourth session of court-mediated negotiations between 2,126 plaintiffs and the defendants — the central government, Kumamoto Prefecture and chemical maker Chisso Corp. — over a damages suit filed in 2005.

The medical allowances the court recommended amount to ¥12,900 per month for people under 70, ¥15,900 for people 70 and older, and ¥17,700 for those hospitalized, according to the lawyers.

The proposed settlement also calls for setting up a third-party committee to determine who gets covered, they said.

The central government is working on rectifying cases involving people who do not meet the strict eligibility criteria for Minamata pollution victims, in line with settlement terms agreed under a special law that took effect last July.