Health ministry applies new standards for recognizing A-bomb related diseases

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Health ministry applies new standards for recognizing A-bomb related diseases

The Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry on April 7 applied the new standards for recognizing patients with A-bomb related diseases to examine applications from 69 Hibakusha (A-bomb survivors), and recognized 63 applicants as patients with A-bomb diseases. The applications by the other nine Hibakusha were not approved.

Sixteen plaintiffs in lawsuits demanding the revocation of the government rejection of applications for their recognition were recognized back to the time of their application.

The ministry, however, did not revoke its earlier rejection.

Following the announcement of recognition, the Japan A and H Bomb Sufferers' Association (Nihon Hidankyo) and lawyers group of nationwide concerted lawsuits held a news conference on the same day.

While a representative of a plaintiffs’ lawyers group appreciated the ministry’s recent examination as a step forward, he criticized the health ministry for failure to admit that its earlier rejection of applications was wrong.

He said that the recognition of the 16 plaintiffs should be the first step for the plaintiffs and their lawyers to urge the ministry to certify all 305 plaintiffs as A-bomb related disease patients and further amend the recently revised criteria for recognition.

Tanaka Terumi, the Nihon Hidankyo secretary general, said that it is regrettable that the ministry started processing applications for the recognition without Hidankyo’s agreement with the procedures.

- Akahata, April 8, 2008