No respect for elderly, no future ?JCP in Diet criticizes government

Japan Press Weekly

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No respect for elderly, no future ?JCP in Diet criticizes government

“Can you really tolerate a society that causes the elderly to be afraid of being abandoned by the country at the age of 75 despite their hard years of work?”

At a House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting on March 14, Japanese Communist Party representative Koike Akira demanded that the new medical system that will put the elderly at a severe disadvantage be revoked.

The new system in question, if implemented from April 1 as scheduled, will exclude the elderly aged 75 and older from the existing national health insurance program and place them under a different health insurance program.

Koike said that the new system is “like removing elderly people from a health insurance program as dependents similar to forcing them out of the main house of the family into an annex.”

“Why must you remove people aged 75 and older from the present health insurance coverage?” asked Koike.

Health Minister Masuzoe Yoichi said, “Because it’s believed to be difficult for them to improve their lifestyle habits, and it is more important to maintain their remaining physical strength than trying to prevent diseases by check-ups.”

Koike said, “Did you use the word ‘remaining’? How dare you speak like that? Everybody wishes to keep good health, no matter how old they are.”

It is clear now that the government policy is one of asking the elderly to “become ill as soon as you turn 75.”

Koike pointed out that the elderly aged 75 and older are the target of cutbacks.

Masuzoe conceded that the aim of the new medical system for the elderly is to cut back on medical expenditures when he said, “In the 80-trillion yen national budget, 10- trillion yen is earmarked for expenditure on medical services for the elderly. Constantly increasing medical costs is not a solution.”

Koike said, “Japan is the only country among countries with a universal health care system to cut back medical expenditure for the elderly. If Japan is to first cut medical expenditure for the elderly under the pretext of a shortfall of financial resources, the future is dismal.”

This House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting was televised live. Many people who had watched Koike on TV criticizing the new system and relaying senior citizens’ anger sent favorable comments to the JCP head office or directly to Koike’s office by telephone, fax, and e-mail.

- Akahata, March 15, 2008