A group of Japanese lawmakers approved a plan on Thursday to provide up to 1.8 million yen ($16,600) each in compensation to family members of former leprosy patients.

The group of ruling and opposition party lawmakers will finalize a bill and submit it to the ongoing extraordinary Diet session, paving the way for compensation to be paid over the discrimination and prejudice suffered by the kin of leprosy patients under the government's decades-long segregation policy.

( Lawyers hold a banner reading "Victory" in front of the Kumamoto District Court in southwestern Japan on June 28, 2019.)

According to the plan, the government will pay 1.8 million yen each to parents, children and spouses of former leprosy patients in compensation for psychological distress.

Siblings, as well as nephews, nieces and grandchildren who resided with the patients will be paid 1.3 million yen each.

The compensation program will also cover distress inflicted after 2002, which was not recognized in a June court ruling that said the issue had already been resolved in an accord reached by the state and leprosy patients.

In addition, relatives of former patients who lived in Okinawa while it was under U.S. occupation, and in Taiwan and the Korean Peninsula before World War II will also be eligible.

"The day has finally come," said Chikara Hayashi, leader of the plaintiffs in the case. "From now, enlightenment and education will be a major theme."

(Chikara Hayashi (C))

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare estimates that 20,000 to 30,000 people will be eligible for the payments, totaling 35 billion to 50 billion yen.

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is now curable.

Relatives of plaintiffs who died while lawsuits were pending will not receive compensation under the legislation but will be paid lump-sums in accordance with a ministerial ordinance.

The preamble of the legislation states "the Diet and the government" offer their "deep apology" to former patients and their families.

The ministry "will make its best efforts toward removing prejudice and discrimination in coordination with relevant ministries and agencies," Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Katsunobu Kato told reporters.

In June, the Kumamoto District Court ordered the state to pay between 300,000 yen and 1.3 million yen per person to 541 family members of former leprosy patients across Japan.

(Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (R) apologizes to family members of former leprosy patients who suffered under the government's segregation policy of the past.)

The ruling was finalized in July when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe decided not to appeal. Later that month, Abe apologized to family members of the former patients.

It was the first ruling ordering the state to compensate family members of leprosy patients who suffered discrimination as they were isolated in sanatoriums under the government's segregation policy dating back to 1931.

The government is working on new measures to compensate those who suffered discrimination regardless of whether they participated in the lawsuit.