Nihon Hidankyo calls on Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to undertake fundamental review of A-bomb disease certification system
Oct. 11, 2019
On October 10, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) called on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to resolve lawsuits that have been filed over the A-bomb disease certification system before next year, which will mark the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing. The group also requested that the government undertake an fundamental review of the certification system. Sueichi Kido, 79, the secretary-general of Nihon Hidankyo, handed the written request addressed to Katsunobu Kato, the minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, to ministry officials.
The request criticizes the national government for its poor response to the lawsuits over the A-bomb disease certification system, arguing that the government is showing no signs of resolving these lawsuits. In addition, the group is asking the government to listen fully to the voices of the A-bomb survivors and arrive at a settlement of their concerns prior to the year marking the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing.
Mr. Kido and other members of the group met with officials which included Takehiro Ono, the director of the ministry’s A-bomb Survivor Support Office, at the office building for members of the Upper House. In response to Mr. Kido’s demand that the issue be resolved, Mr. Ono said, “I will convey your message to the minister.” But he then expressed a view on the request by saying, “It would be difficult to revise the certification system in line with the recommendations made by Nihon Hidankyo.”
The group also requested that ministry officials conduct cancer screenings for second-generation A-bomb survivors and provide financial support for survivors to share their A-bomb experiences in the United States in conjunction with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation (NPT) Review Conference to be held next year. After meeting with officials from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the group also passed on their request to Diet members from the ruling and opposition parties.
(Originally published on October 11, 2019)
The request criticizes the national government for its poor response to the lawsuits over the A-bomb disease certification system, arguing that the government is showing no signs of resolving these lawsuits. In addition, the group is asking the government to listen fully to the voices of the A-bomb survivors and arrive at a settlement of their concerns prior to the year marking the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing.
Mr. Kido and other members of the group met with officials which included Takehiro Ono, the director of the ministry’s A-bomb Survivor Support Office, at the office building for members of the Upper House. In response to Mr. Kido’s demand that the issue be resolved, Mr. Ono said, “I will convey your message to the minister.” But he then expressed a view on the request by saying, “It would be difficult to revise the certification system in line with the recommendations made by Nihon Hidankyo.”
The group also requested that ministry officials conduct cancer screenings for second-generation A-bomb survivors and provide financial support for survivors to share their A-bomb experiences in the United States in conjunction with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation (NPT) Review Conference to be held next year. After meeting with officials from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the group also passed on their request to Diet members from the ruling and opposition parties.
(Originally published on October 11, 2019)
