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

Upper House committee passes bill to adversely revise medical system

The ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties on June 13 rammed the bill that will undermine the Japanese medical insurance system through the House of Councilors Health, Labor, and Welfare Committee. The Japanese Communist, Democratic, and Social Democratic parties voted against.

The bill will increase the portion of medical cost elderly patients 70 and older must pay from the present 10 percent to 20 percent and introduce "mixed-medical services" to expand out-of-insurance treatments. It will also decrease long-term care hospital beds by 60 percent.

In the discussion prior to the voting, JCP representative Koike Akira stated, "Using the force of majority to push through the bill is suicidal for parliamentary democracy. It shows the Diet's failure to fulfill its responsibility."

Pointing out that the bill will ruin the efforts of patients, medical workers, and citizens that have elevated the Japanese medical system to one of the highest levels in the world, Koike said, "If it is enacted, our children and grandchildren will have to take over a flawed medical insurance system."

He stressed, "All citizens have the right to receive medical treatment regardless of their income or wealth. What is needed now is to restructure the Japanese medical system based on this principle."
- Akahata, June 14, 2006