Japan Press Weekly

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2013 June 5 - 11 [WELFARE]

Gov’t will ban job discrimination against intractable disease patients

Patients with intractable diseases, even if they don’t have national certification as being disabled, will be covered by a ban on job discrimination against the disabled under the planned amendment to the Disabled Persons Employment Promotion Law.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare made it clear on May 28 in response to a question by Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Tamura Tomoko.

In a labor and welfare committee meeting of the House of Councilors, Tamura asked the government if the new rule prohibiting job discrimination will cover intractable disease patients who are not certified as disabled by the state. A welfare ministry official answered, “Yes” on condition that they face considerable difficulties of working.

The Disabled Persons Employment Promotion Law aims to provide the disabled with stable employment opportunities. It requires companies to hire disabled persons to meet the target rate of employment (2.0% for private companies). The amendment bill is to introduce a ban on job discrimination against the disabled.

The House of Councilors passed the bill on June 5 and sent it to the House of Representatives. The bill is expected to be enacted by the end of this session of the Diet.

Ito Tateo, who heads the Japan Patients Association, welcomed the planned amendment by saying, “It’s one big step forward.” He stressed, “What is important is to create an environment under which intractable disease patients can work.”