The government has filed suit against antinuclear activists, demanding the removal of their tents erected on the trade ministry's grounds, sources said Monday.
The ministry is also demanding that the activists pay around ¥11 million in fees for using the land through March.
Taichi Masakiyo, 75, of the antinuclear group, said they have no intention to leave and "intend to show that this is an important location to conduct a national debate on nuclear power."
According to the sources and the complaint filed with the Tokyo District Court on March 29, antinuclear activists erected a tent next to a walkway within the ministry premises on Sept. 11, 2011, half a year after the Fukushima meltdown crisis started.
Bringing in desks, chairs and power generators and displaying banners calling for the elimination of nuclear power plants, activists used the tent as a base for conducting their protests.
Two more tents were set up in October 2011. The ministry claims that although it has repeatedly asked the activists to take down the tents and leave the site, the location continues to be unlawfully occupied.