September 27, 2024

Japanese Communist Party Policy Commission Chair Yamazoe Taku on September 26 held a press conference in the Diet building and announced an urgent proposal to protect the human rights and dignity of the elderly by putting a stop to reducing pension benefits, the ongoing crisis in the nursing-care system, and adverse revisions of medical service.

JCP member of the House of Representatives Miyamoto Toru was also present at the announcement.

Yamazoe pointed out that under the government pension cut policy and the ongoing increase in prices, elderly people are forced to live on a tight budget. As an example, the JCP Policy Commission chair cited that with this scorching summer, many seniors died of heatstroke because they did not use air conditioners due to financial constraints.

Stating that public pensions account for more than 10% of prefectural income in 46 prefectures (excluding Tokyo) and more than 20% of household consumption in 26 prefectures (excluding Tokyo), Yamazoe pointed out that cuts in pension benefits deliver a heavy blow to local economies.

Yamazoe noted that more and more nursing-care service providers are facing financial difficulties and shortages in home helpers, which may lead to an increase in business closures and bankruptcies. He pointed out that under this situation, with the government policy of lowering the state remuneration paid for home-visit nursing-care services, the number of nursing-care operators has dropped to zero in some localities. He said that this represents the deepening of the crisis in Japan’s nursing-care system.

Yamazoe pointed out that the government policy of increasing the out-of-pocket medical expenses of the elderly aged 75 years and older with an annual income of more than two million yen from the previous 10% to 20% holds elderly people back from seeing a doctor when needed.

Yamazoe said that the JCP proposal demands that the government review its pension cut policy; that the government share in the nursing-care program be raised from the current 50% to 60%; that the national and municipal governments implement measures to support nursing-care institutions and facilities in local regions; and that the government stop imposing a heavier burden of out-of-pocket medical expenses on the elderly.

Yamazoe claimed, “It is the national government’s responsibility to enable elderly people to live a decent life with the protection of their human rights and dignity,” and stressed, “The JCP in the next general election will call on voters to support the party’s proposal to create a government fulfilling its responsibility to protect the elderly’s human rights and dignity.”

Past related article:
> Iroren asks parliamentarians’ support for higher state remuneration to nursing-care service providers [September 5, 2024]