Group to file lawsuit and form support group in effort to expand “black rain” area of atomic bombing
Oct. 5, 2015
by Kyosuke Mizukawa, Staff Writer
The Hiroshima Prefecture Atomic Bomb Black Rain Council, chaired by Masaaki Takano, held a board meeting in the town of Akiota on September 25. At this meeting, the board members committed to filing a class action lawsuit in November in an effort to expand the designated area covered by the national relief law concerning health effects caused by exposure to the “black rain,” which fell in the aftermath of the atomic bombing. Prior to filing the suit, they will form a support group for this purpose.
Twelve board members, including representatives from branch offices, took part in the discussion. The head office first explained the current conditions involving applications for A-bomb survivor certificates filed by 71 people who were exposed to the black rain outside the government-designated area and claim to have suffered health problems as a consequence of this exposure. The City of Hiroshima and Hiroshima Prefecture have already rejected the applications of 50 of these people. Because the results for the rest of the applications will likely be announced in early October, the date for filing the lawsuit seeking to overturn these decisions has been set for about a month later.
In addition, the members agreed that a general meeting to inaugurate the new support group, which will assist with the costs of the lawsuit and observe the proceedings, will be held in the city of Hiroshima on October 24. Other sufferers of the black rain, apart from the plaintiffs, as well as members of citizens’ groups, will also be asked to take part in the meeting. Working with the A-bomb Survivors Counseling Agency of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, which is chaired by Kunihiko Sakuma, they will work on preparing a written statement for the court.
Mr. Takano said, “We will strengthen the momentum to expand the designated area covered by the law by establishing this support group, then swiftly file the lawsuit.”
(Originally published on September 26, 2015)
The Hiroshima Prefecture Atomic Bomb Black Rain Council, chaired by Masaaki Takano, held a board meeting in the town of Akiota on September 25. At this meeting, the board members committed to filing a class action lawsuit in November in an effort to expand the designated area covered by the national relief law concerning health effects caused by exposure to the “black rain,” which fell in the aftermath of the atomic bombing. Prior to filing the suit, they will form a support group for this purpose.
Twelve board members, including representatives from branch offices, took part in the discussion. The head office first explained the current conditions involving applications for A-bomb survivor certificates filed by 71 people who were exposed to the black rain outside the government-designated area and claim to have suffered health problems as a consequence of this exposure. The City of Hiroshima and Hiroshima Prefecture have already rejected the applications of 50 of these people. Because the results for the rest of the applications will likely be announced in early October, the date for filing the lawsuit seeking to overturn these decisions has been set for about a month later.
In addition, the members agreed that a general meeting to inaugurate the new support group, which will assist with the costs of the lawsuit and observe the proceedings, will be held in the city of Hiroshima on October 24. Other sufferers of the black rain, apart from the plaintiffs, as well as members of citizens’ groups, will also be asked to take part in the meeting. Working with the A-bomb Survivors Counseling Agency of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, which is chaired by Kunihiko Sakuma, they will work on preparing a written statement for the court.
Mr. Takano said, “We will strengthen the momentum to expand the designated area covered by the law by establishing this support group, then swiftly file the lawsuit.”
(Originally published on September 26, 2015)
