Hepatitis C plaintiffs and the government sign reconciliation agreement

   Plaintiffs in the hepatitis C lawsuits and the government on January 15 signed the basic agreement on reconciliation, in which the government accepted its responsibility for the mass infection of hepatitis C through tainted blood products and offered an apology.

   Five years of the plaintiffs’ legal struggle has laid the foundation for their blanket relief.

   In the meeting with the plaintiffs’ group following the signing of the agreement, Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo said, “Please accept my apology on behalf of the administration.”
- Akahata, January 16, 2008