15,000 people call for drastic revision of 'self-support assistance law'

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15,000 people call for drastic revision of 'self-support assistance law'

Some 15,000 disabled people, their families, and supporters held a rally in Tokyo on October 31, calling on the government to review the "self-support assistance law" that forces the disabled persons to pay 10 percent of the cost for the services they use that has caused serious adverse effects.

This was the largest ever rally organized by disabled people. Participants adopted an appeal calling on the government to retract the "beneficiary-pays principle." Later in the day, they marched in demonstration toward the Diet, and filed a petition to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

A participant from Shiga Prefecture said from the rostrum, "Many disabled persons have had to reduce or end their use of services." A blind person said, "Today, I must pay charges even to go out with a guide-helper."

On the same day, a discussion meeting was held in which representatives of the Japanese Communist, Democratic, Social Democratic, and Komei parties took part.

JCP House of Councilors member Koike Akira stated, "The self-support assistance law needs to be reviewed immediately. The Diet should discuss this issue thoroughly in the current session."

"Removal of the 'beneficiary-pays principle' will cost the state 43 billion yen, which is only one-seventieth of the cost Japan is required to pay for the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan," said Koike, drawing extended applause.

Through a sign-language interpreter, Japanese Federation of the Deaf Secretary General Konaka Eiichi said, "As the self-support assistance law transfers sign-language interpreting services to local governments, we are now charged for the use of the service." Emphasizing that speaking is a fundamental right, he called for retracting the "beneficiary-pays" system.

A participant spoke about a mentally and physically disabled friend who is confined to a wheelchair living alone in Aichi Prefecture. Receiving only a basic disability benefit of 88,000 yen a month, she cannot afford to pay charges for helper services. She has to ask for a helper when she goes to a hospital, but today she releases the helper while at hospital and asks again for the helper to return when she goes home. In order to reduce the use of helper services, she tries to drink liquids as little as possible so that she will have to go to the toilet less often.
- Akahata, November 1, 2006