Bill for fund to settle lawsuits over A-bomb disease certification will be enacted during current Diet session
Nov. 27, 2009
by Kohei Okata, Staff Writer
On November 26, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, for the first time since assuming his current post, met with Sunao Tsuboi, co-chairperson of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations, and atomic bomb survivors (hibakusha) who are plaintiffs of the class action lawsuits over A-bomb disease certification. Meeting at the prime minister's residence, Mr. Hatoyama expressed his hope that a legislators-prepared bill that will enable the government to finance a fund designed to provide relief for defeated plaintiffs will be enacted during the current Diet session. Ichiro Ozawa, secretary general of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), also met with the plaintiffs at the Diet and clearly stated, "We will make an effort to enact the bill during the current Diet session." On the assumption that the Diet session will be extended, the ruling and opposition parties are in negotiations so that the bill will be enacted within the next week at the Lower House plenary session.
Hereafter, the bill will be proposed by the chair of the Committee on Health, Welfare and Labor at the Upper House as early as November 27 and be approved at the Upper House plenary session on November 30. The ruling parties intend to extend the current Diet session, which was scheduled to end on November 30, until the beginning of December. It is highly likely that the bill will be enacted at the Lower House plenary session.
Since the evening of November 26, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has refused to attend the Diet session, as the party has reacted against the DPJ, which did not agree with the LDP's demand to hold debate among party leaders. However, an LDP executive member at the Upper House commented, "We will take part in the discussions and approve the bill, as the issue concerns people's lives."
Representatives of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations and the plaintiffs of the class action lawsuits over A-bomb disease certification met with Prime Minister Hatoyama for about 20 minutes. Akira Nagatsuma, the minister of Health, Labor and Welfare, also attended the meeting. Mr. Tsuboi requested that the legislators-prepared bill that would allow the government to contribute 300 million yen to the fund for the defeated plaintiffs be enacted during the current Diet session. He also handed written requests to the prime minister, calling on the government to revise the A-bomb disease certification system so that the system would reflect the reality of the atomic bombing and also to take a leading role in realizing a world without nuclear weapons.
Prime Minister Hatoyama appreciated the pains his visitors have taken so far, saying, "Those who suffered hardships for many years have fought the legal battles for people exposed to the atomic bombings. This is a very honorable action." Mr. Hatoyama then expressed his hope that the bill would be enacted during the current Diet session. He also showed a positive attitude toward the revision of the A-bomb disease certification system, which was raised in the DPJ manifesto.
After the meeting, Mr. Tsuboi commented on relief measures for hibakusha by the new administration: "It appears that the measures for hibakusha have been slowly making progress. I hope the new administration will continue to take steady steps in that regard."
Concerning regular discussions between the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and the plaintiffs, which, along with the fund, are mentioned in the note of confirmation in pursuit of the settlement of the lawsuits fought between the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations and the government, Mr. Nagatsuma revealed the idea to hold the first meeting of discussions early in the new year.
Reflection on indifferent system
Hidenori Yamamoto, the leader of the nationwide group of plaintiffs involved in the class action lawsuits over A-bomb disease certification, commented: "We expect that the realization of providing relief to the plaintiffs due to the legislators-prepared bill will represent the attitude of the Japanese government, which has reflected on the current indifferent system of A-bomb disease certification and will overcome the hurdles involved in revising it. We will be very pleased if the bill is enacted during the current Diet session. Now is the time to build a relationship of trust with the government. I hope that fruitful discussions will be held and the system will be changed so that it fits the reality of the atomic bombing."
Bill to provide relief for defeated plaintiffs of the class action lawsuits over A-bomb disease certification
The ruling and opposition parties have agreed to have this bill prepared by legislators, in pursuit of the collective settlement of the class action lawsuits over A-bomb disease certification. The bill is supposed to deal mainly with financial compensation for defeated plaintiffs. A corporative body that will undertake support activities for the plaintiffs will establish a fund. Based on this bill, the government will partly finance the fund by granting the planned subsidy of 300 million yen. The clause stipulating that the fund will be established and "be used to resolve grievances of the plaintiffs" in the note of confirmation exchanged between then Prime Minister Taro Aso and the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations on August 6 led to this bill.
(Originally published on Nov. 27, 2009)
On November 26, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, for the first time since assuming his current post, met with Sunao Tsuboi, co-chairperson of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations, and atomic bomb survivors (hibakusha) who are plaintiffs of the class action lawsuits over A-bomb disease certification. Meeting at the prime minister's residence, Mr. Hatoyama expressed his hope that a legislators-prepared bill that will enable the government to finance a fund designed to provide relief for defeated plaintiffs will be enacted during the current Diet session. Ichiro Ozawa, secretary general of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), also met with the plaintiffs at the Diet and clearly stated, "We will make an effort to enact the bill during the current Diet session." On the assumption that the Diet session will be extended, the ruling and opposition parties are in negotiations so that the bill will be enacted within the next week at the Lower House plenary session.
Hereafter, the bill will be proposed by the chair of the Committee on Health, Welfare and Labor at the Upper House as early as November 27 and be approved at the Upper House plenary session on November 30. The ruling parties intend to extend the current Diet session, which was scheduled to end on November 30, until the beginning of December. It is highly likely that the bill will be enacted at the Lower House plenary session.
Since the evening of November 26, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has refused to attend the Diet session, as the party has reacted against the DPJ, which did not agree with the LDP's demand to hold debate among party leaders. However, an LDP executive member at the Upper House commented, "We will take part in the discussions and approve the bill, as the issue concerns people's lives."
Representatives of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations and the plaintiffs of the class action lawsuits over A-bomb disease certification met with Prime Minister Hatoyama for about 20 minutes. Akira Nagatsuma, the minister of Health, Labor and Welfare, also attended the meeting. Mr. Tsuboi requested that the legislators-prepared bill that would allow the government to contribute 300 million yen to the fund for the defeated plaintiffs be enacted during the current Diet session. He also handed written requests to the prime minister, calling on the government to revise the A-bomb disease certification system so that the system would reflect the reality of the atomic bombing and also to take a leading role in realizing a world without nuclear weapons.
Prime Minister Hatoyama appreciated the pains his visitors have taken so far, saying, "Those who suffered hardships for many years have fought the legal battles for people exposed to the atomic bombings. This is a very honorable action." Mr. Hatoyama then expressed his hope that the bill would be enacted during the current Diet session. He also showed a positive attitude toward the revision of the A-bomb disease certification system, which was raised in the DPJ manifesto.
After the meeting, Mr. Tsuboi commented on relief measures for hibakusha by the new administration: "It appears that the measures for hibakusha have been slowly making progress. I hope the new administration will continue to take steady steps in that regard."
Concerning regular discussions between the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and the plaintiffs, which, along with the fund, are mentioned in the note of confirmation in pursuit of the settlement of the lawsuits fought between the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations and the government, Mr. Nagatsuma revealed the idea to hold the first meeting of discussions early in the new year.
Reflection on indifferent system
Hidenori Yamamoto, the leader of the nationwide group of plaintiffs involved in the class action lawsuits over A-bomb disease certification, commented: "We expect that the realization of providing relief to the plaintiffs due to the legislators-prepared bill will represent the attitude of the Japanese government, which has reflected on the current indifferent system of A-bomb disease certification and will overcome the hurdles involved in revising it. We will be very pleased if the bill is enacted during the current Diet session. Now is the time to build a relationship of trust with the government. I hope that fruitful discussions will be held and the system will be changed so that it fits the reality of the atomic bombing."
Bill to provide relief for defeated plaintiffs of the class action lawsuits over A-bomb disease certification
The ruling and opposition parties have agreed to have this bill prepared by legislators, in pursuit of the collective settlement of the class action lawsuits over A-bomb disease certification. The bill is supposed to deal mainly with financial compensation for defeated plaintiffs. A corporative body that will undertake support activities for the plaintiffs will establish a fund. Based on this bill, the government will partly finance the fund by granting the planned subsidy of 300 million yen. The clause stipulating that the fund will be established and "be used to resolve grievances of the plaintiffs" in the note of confirmation exchanged between then Prime Minister Taro Aso and the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations on August 6 led to this bill.
(Originally published on Nov. 27, 2009)
