Japan settles lung disease cases

Tokyo -- The Japanese government has agreed to a settlement in a lawsuit filed by relatives of Tokyo tunnel workers stricken with lung disease.

Under the settlement, which was reached Wednesday in Tokyo High Court, the government will pay more than $26,000 for each victim, Kyodo News Service said.

The news service said about 970 people sued, alleging their family members contracted pneumoconiosis after working on state-ordered projects.

Pneumoconiosis generally is contracted by prolonged exposure to dust, which hardens and eventually kills cells in the lungs.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International.