Government rejects responsibility for unpensioned disabled students
The government on April 6 appealed to the Tokyo High Court against a district court ruling that held the government responsible for not relieving unpensioned disabled students.
Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Sakaguchi Chikara stated, "The state is not responsible for those who opted not to join in the pension scheme and did not pay the premiums even while participation in national pension was not compulsory."
The plaintiffs and their lawyers on the day published statements of protest.
In a published comment on the same day, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo demanded that the government immediately withdraw its appeal. He said, "By appealing against the landmark ruling that denounced the state negligence as unconstitutional, the government has trampled on the long-standing wishes of disabled people who were left without pensions."
The Tokyo District Court ruling on March 24 stated that it is against the constitutional principle of equality in that some students who became disabled before they joined the pension system are left without pensions after age 20 due to inadequate legal provisions. (end)
