Disabled people win suit over payment of disability pension
A court on March 24 ruled in favor of 4 disabled citizens who have been calling on the government to pay them disability pension.
The Tokyo District Court ordered the government to pay the disability basic pension to Okamura Tomoaki and 5 million yen each in compensation to three other plaintiffs.
The four plaintiffs had either an illness or accident that left them disabled when they were students and so did not pay the national pension premiums which were not compulsory for students 20 and older.
Students who are under 20 years old can receive the pension for disabled while those who are over 20 have to be national pension scheme members to receive the same benefit. The court pointed out that such differentiation is in violation of Article 14 of the Constitution which guarantees equality under the law. (end)
