Applications for A-bomb disease certification can be filed from overseas from April
Mar. 15, 2010
by Sakiko Masuda, Staff Writer
On March 12, the Japanese government decided to revise the enforcement of the Atomic Bomb Survivors Relief Law, making A-bomb survivors (hibakusha) living overseas eligible to apply for A-bomb disease certification at Japanese embassies and consulates in the countries where they reside, starting on April 1, 2010.
In conjunction with this decision, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has already decided to accept applications from overseas for the "Medical Checkup Certificate" for such people who once lived in the area of the black rain and now live abroad. Therefore the requirement that applicants must visit Japan to apply for relief measures will be completely removed.
Regarding A-bomb survivors living overseas, the Atomic Bomb Survivors Relief Law had required applicants to visit Japan in person. For instance, the law stipulated that applications for the Atomic Bomb Survivor's Certificate be made "to prefectural governors in the region where applicants are or live.” And the former Ministry of Health and Welfare's directive No. 402, issued in 1974, stated that hibakusha overseas were not eligible for medical subsidies.
To counter the directive, hibakusha overseas filed a lawsuit against the Japanese government. In December 2008, the Atomic Bomb Survivors Relief Law was revised and its addendum stipulated that "necessary measures will be taken" to enable hibakusha to apply for A-bomb disease certification from overseas.
The A-bomb disease certification process will require overseas applicants to submit such documents as a doctor's written diagnosis at Japanese embassies and consulates. At the same time, applicants must apply for the A-bomb disease certification at the MHLW through prefectures where they obtained their Atomic Bomb Survivor's Certificate. The MHLW will then make a decision regarding recognition for the applicant at its screening committee. When recognized, the applicant will be provided with 137,000 yen a month as a Special Medical Allowance.
With regard to applications for the Medical Checkup Certificate, the MHLW will start accepting these applications in the same manner. The Medical Checkup Certificate system was not bound by enforcement regulations, though, so changes in the system did not require Cabinet approval.
The MHLW says that about 4,370 people in 37 countries, including South Korea, the United States, and Brazil, hold the Atomic Bomb Survivor's Certificate.
by Kohei Okata, Staff Writer
On March 12, complete removal of the "visit Japan requirement" which had beleaguered A-bomb survivors living overseas was officially decided at long last. Though a barrier in the procedure will be removed, it is just the first step. To reduce the gap that exists in the provision of relief measures, lending solid support to hibakusha overseas is vital.
One possibility involves helping these applicants with information and with the procedure. It can be foreseen that applicants living overseas may have difficulty getting information such as how to obtain the necessary documents. Another challenge is enabling doctors abroad, who are not familiar with the atomic bombings, to understand the reality of the A-bomb damage.
In addition, even in Japan, about 7,300 people have been waiting for their screening for A-bomb disease certification. Therefore, it is an urgent task to accelerate the overall certificate screening procedure in order to swiftly respond to the applications from people living overseas, as they have been waiting for recognition for a long period of time.
At the same time, there are some challenges which have not yet been addressed. Medical expenses for survivors living in Japan are covered in full by the government, but hibakusha living overseas have certain caps on their medical subsidies. In the new fiscal year starting on April 1, it is estimated that approximately 161,000 yen or 172,000 yen will be covered by the government as the maximum subsidy per year per person. Even if a survivor is recognized as an A-bomb disease sufferer, the maximum amount remains the same.
The MHLW considers medical expenses overseas outside of the relief measures under the Atomic Bomb Survivors Relief Law, saying "Systems of medical care and insurance overseas are different from those of Japan." However, if the relief law indeed bears the "characteristic of national reparations," as the judiciary has stated, it is time to start serious debate on the full enforcement of relief measures for A-bomb survivors living abroad.
(Originally published on March 13, 2010)
Related articles
Requirement that applicants overseas must visit Japan to apply for A-bomb relief is scrapped (March 9, 2010)
Applications for A-bomb disease certification can be filed from overseas from early next fiscal year (Jan. 13, 2010)
On March 12, the Japanese government decided to revise the enforcement of the Atomic Bomb Survivors Relief Law, making A-bomb survivors (hibakusha) living overseas eligible to apply for A-bomb disease certification at Japanese embassies and consulates in the countries where they reside, starting on April 1, 2010.
In conjunction with this decision, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has already decided to accept applications from overseas for the "Medical Checkup Certificate" for such people who once lived in the area of the black rain and now live abroad. Therefore the requirement that applicants must visit Japan to apply for relief measures will be completely removed.
Regarding A-bomb survivors living overseas, the Atomic Bomb Survivors Relief Law had required applicants to visit Japan in person. For instance, the law stipulated that applications for the Atomic Bomb Survivor's Certificate be made "to prefectural governors in the region where applicants are or live.” And the former Ministry of Health and Welfare's directive No. 402, issued in 1974, stated that hibakusha overseas were not eligible for medical subsidies.
To counter the directive, hibakusha overseas filed a lawsuit against the Japanese government. In December 2008, the Atomic Bomb Survivors Relief Law was revised and its addendum stipulated that "necessary measures will be taken" to enable hibakusha to apply for A-bomb disease certification from overseas.
The A-bomb disease certification process will require overseas applicants to submit such documents as a doctor's written diagnosis at Japanese embassies and consulates. At the same time, applicants must apply for the A-bomb disease certification at the MHLW through prefectures where they obtained their Atomic Bomb Survivor's Certificate. The MHLW will then make a decision regarding recognition for the applicant at its screening committee. When recognized, the applicant will be provided with 137,000 yen a month as a Special Medical Allowance.
With regard to applications for the Medical Checkup Certificate, the MHLW will start accepting these applications in the same manner. The Medical Checkup Certificate system was not bound by enforcement regulations, though, so changes in the system did not require Cabinet approval.
The MHLW says that about 4,370 people in 37 countries, including South Korea, the United States, and Brazil, hold the Atomic Bomb Survivor's Certificate.
Commentary: Challenges still remain for reducing the gap in relief measures
by Kohei Okata, Staff Writer
On March 12, complete removal of the "visit Japan requirement" which had beleaguered A-bomb survivors living overseas was officially decided at long last. Though a barrier in the procedure will be removed, it is just the first step. To reduce the gap that exists in the provision of relief measures, lending solid support to hibakusha overseas is vital.
One possibility involves helping these applicants with information and with the procedure. It can be foreseen that applicants living overseas may have difficulty getting information such as how to obtain the necessary documents. Another challenge is enabling doctors abroad, who are not familiar with the atomic bombings, to understand the reality of the A-bomb damage.
In addition, even in Japan, about 7,300 people have been waiting for their screening for A-bomb disease certification. Therefore, it is an urgent task to accelerate the overall certificate screening procedure in order to swiftly respond to the applications from people living overseas, as they have been waiting for recognition for a long period of time.
At the same time, there are some challenges which have not yet been addressed. Medical expenses for survivors living in Japan are covered in full by the government, but hibakusha living overseas have certain caps on their medical subsidies. In the new fiscal year starting on April 1, it is estimated that approximately 161,000 yen or 172,000 yen will be covered by the government as the maximum subsidy per year per person. Even if a survivor is recognized as an A-bomb disease sufferer, the maximum amount remains the same.
The MHLW considers medical expenses overseas outside of the relief measures under the Atomic Bomb Survivors Relief Law, saying "Systems of medical care and insurance overseas are different from those of Japan." However, if the relief law indeed bears the "characteristic of national reparations," as the judiciary has stated, it is time to start serious debate on the full enforcement of relief measures for A-bomb survivors living abroad.
(Originally published on March 13, 2010)
Related articles
Requirement that applicants overseas must visit Japan to apply for A-bomb relief is scrapped (March 9, 2010)
Applications for A-bomb disease certification can be filed from overseas from early next fiscal year (Jan. 13, 2010)
