September 30, 2012
Akahata editorial (excerpts)
The Welfare Ministry has released its plan to amend the livelihood protection program as part of the adverse revisions of the social welfare system the Noda Cabinet is promoting. This goes against the principle of the livelihood protection system based on the Japanese Constitution, which guarantees all citizens “a wholesome and cultured living”.
The proposed amendment is expected to be finalized by the end of the year and submitted to the next ordinary session of the Diet. This move to take away citizens’ right to live must be blocked.
The ministry’s plan allows local welfare offices to oblige family members of livelihood protection benefit recipients to explain why they cannot financially support them themselves. Apparently, the ministry is taking advantage of a recent attack made by Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers and some media on the current protection system following a revelation that a famous comedian’s mother had been receiving the benefits.
When receiving an application from a citizen for the livelihood protection program, a welfare office contacts his/her supporters under duty about their financial situations. This already discourages many people from applying for the program because they want to avoid causing hardship on their families. The new plan will further keep needy people away from the public assistance system.
The Welfare Ministry is moving to require benefit recipients, who are recognized as being “capable of working,” to create their own plan to find a job and “swiftly depart” from the livelihood protection program.
Many of them, however, have undermined their physical or mental health and become unable to work after they went through dismissals or heavy workloads under major corporations’ restructuring schemes.
The ministry also demands that benefit recipients keep receipts and household accounts and submit them to the welfare office. This outrageous proposal takes away human dignity and infringes on human rights.
The new plan could lead to more solitary deaths of the poor. What is urgently needed is to make the program more accessible to needy citizens.
The Welfare Ministry has released its plan to amend the livelihood protection program as part of the adverse revisions of the social welfare system the Noda Cabinet is promoting. This goes against the principle of the livelihood protection system based on the Japanese Constitution, which guarantees all citizens “a wholesome and cultured living”.
The proposed amendment is expected to be finalized by the end of the year and submitted to the next ordinary session of the Diet. This move to take away citizens’ right to live must be blocked.
The ministry’s plan allows local welfare offices to oblige family members of livelihood protection benefit recipients to explain why they cannot financially support them themselves. Apparently, the ministry is taking advantage of a recent attack made by Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers and some media on the current protection system following a revelation that a famous comedian’s mother had been receiving the benefits.
When receiving an application from a citizen for the livelihood protection program, a welfare office contacts his/her supporters under duty about their financial situations. This already discourages many people from applying for the program because they want to avoid causing hardship on their families. The new plan will further keep needy people away from the public assistance system.
The Welfare Ministry is moving to require benefit recipients, who are recognized as being “capable of working,” to create their own plan to find a job and “swiftly depart” from the livelihood protection program.
Many of them, however, have undermined their physical or mental health and become unable to work after they went through dismissals or heavy workloads under major corporations’ restructuring schemes.
The ministry also demands that benefit recipients keep receipts and household accounts and submit them to the welfare office. This outrageous proposal takes away human dignity and infringes on human rights.
The new plan could lead to more solitary deaths of the poor. What is urgently needed is to make the program more accessible to needy citizens.
