OSAKA, Aug. 1 Kyodo, Seven South Korean atomic bomb survivors filed a lawsuit against Osaka Prefecture on Tuesday claiming that the prefecture illegally dismissed their applications for survivors' certificates simply because they did not visit Japan.

In the lawsuit filed with the Osaka District Court, the plaintiffs sought a nullification of the prefecture's decision and demanded that the prefecture and the state pay 1.1 million yen in compensation to each of the plaintiffs.

According to the lawsuit, the seven South Korean women aged between 63 and 96 repatriated to South Korea after surviving the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945.

The plaintiffs received documents from the Hiroshima city government in 2003 which recognized them as atomic bomb survivors. Such documents are issued to atomic bomb survivors who live abroad and cannot easily visit Japan for such reasons as health problems.

The documents help facilitate procedures for overseas atomic bomb survivors to obtain survivors' certificates, which entitle them to receive a medical allowance.

In June this year, the plaintiffs, many who are aged or bedridden, applied to the Osaka Prefecture for the certificate via supporters in Japan, but their applications were dismissed, the lawsuit said.

Currently, atomic bomb survivors living abroad have to visit Japan in person to apply for the certificate.

An official of the Osaka prefectural government said that prefectural government officials cannot comment on the issue because they have not seen the complaint.

2006-08-01 22:56:32JST