500 people rally opposing the closure of metropolitan hospitals for children

Japan Press Weekly

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

500 people rally opposing the closure of metropolitan hospitals for children

Some 500 people gathered on February 21, opposing the planned closure of children’s hospitals and demanding the continuation of three Tokyo municipal hospitals for children.

The meeting was organized by the Liaison Conference For Improving Tokyo’s Health, Sanitary and Medical Service Standards, local associations to defend children’s hospitals, and other groups of concerned citizens.

Ujiie Sachio, representative of the liaison conference, criticized the Metropolitan Government for ignoring residents’ strong opposition and enforcing closure. He stressed that the abolition of the three hospitals will cause a serious setback in children’s medical care, and proposed that signature campaigns, sit-ins, and other actions be launched on February 24 when the Metropolitan Assembly session is open.

They have already collected signatures from 600 thousand people demanding that the the children’s hospitals in Hachioji City, Kiyose City and Setagaya Ward be kept open.

Tokyo Medical Practitioners Association Vice-chair Haiden Kiyona criticized the Democratic Party of Japan for approving the closure of these hospitals even though many DPJ members of the Metropolitan Assembly had promised to maintain the three hospitals in the assembly election in July 2009.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government under Governor Ishihara Shintaro plans to close the three hospitals on March 16. In the assembly session in December 2009, the DPJ together with the Liberal Democratic Party and Komei Party turned down residents’ petitions for keeping the three hospitals open. The Japanese Communist Party supported the people’s petitions.

- Akahata, February 22, 2010