‘Let’s revoke new medical system for elderly aged 75 and over’ -- National Convention of Elderly

Japan Press Weekly

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

‘Let’s revoke new medical system for elderly aged 75 and over’ -- National Convention of Elderly

The 22nd National Convention of Elderly was held on September 8-9 in Niigata City in Niigata Prefecture. Participants showed great energy criticizing the Fukuda Cabinet’s coldhearted policy that includes cutbacks in medical services and social welfare services, and in particular the new medical system for elderly aged 75 and over.

About 4,700 people from across the nation took part in the plenary session as well as in 26 study meetings and workshops.

In the keynote speech, Yamada Eisaku, National Federation of Local Associations of Social Welfare for Senior Citizens secretary general, said, “Because we are sharing our pleasure in living long, our movement with nuggets of wisdom will greatly help prevent an adverse revision of the Constitution.”

Shinozaki Tsuguo, adviser to the National Federation of Local Associations of Social Welfare for Senior Citizens, at a workshop stated that the establishment of the nursing-care insurance system was to “restructure” the whole of Japan’s social welfare systems.

He called for wider cooperation in the struggle to defeat these attacks, adding that the new medical system for elderly aged 75 and over is part of the government policy of undermining the entire medical service systems that affect everyone.

In another workshop, Asahi Kenji, representative of the national association to support court struggles for the right to live, spoke. He said that a victory in this court struggle will greatly contribute to force the central government to fully implement Article 25 of the Constitution - “All people shall have the right to maintain the minimum standards of wholesome and cultured living.”

The annual convention was sponsored by the organizing committee composed of the National Federation of Local Associations of Social Welfare for Senior Citizens, the All Japan Pensioners' Union, the Medical Co-op Committee of the Japanese Consumers' Cooperative Union, and various other organizations.

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Takahashi Chizuko stressed the importance of focusing the struggle on the possible House of Representatives snap election so that the general public will become the key players in Japan. - Akahata, September 9, 10, 2008