November 28, 2013
A man with disabilities in Okayama City has been arguing in court that it is unconstitutional for the city to stop providing him with support measures for the disabled just because he turned 65.
Asada Tatsuo, who has severe physical disabilities, had received home-visit care services for free based on the law to support the independence of disabled people. Before Asada’s 65th birthday, the city office told him that he will receive welfare services under the public nursing care insurance system after he turns 65 and he will have to pay 10% of the cost.
Calling for the continuation of the welfare services under the law on assistance to the disabled, Asada refused to apply for the nursing care insurance system. The city office decided to terminate the welfare services for him until he submitted an application to the public nursing care insurance system. After that, the city government began only offering care services under the nursing-care system.
In September, Asada filed a lawsuit with the Okayama District Court claiming that the city should provide him service based on the system for disabled assistance and nursing-care.
Asada on November 27 at the first hearing of the case said, “What the city said was nothing different from a sentence of death. I was so afraid that I could not sleep for days.” He stressed that it is clearly a case of age discrimination to kick out over-65-year-old people from the support under the law to support the independence of disabled people.
Asada’s lawyer Kakizaki Hiroyuki pointed out that the city separates the older disabled from the younger disabled, and forces them to share heavier financial burdens. He stressed that the importance of this court case is to expose the apparent abnormality of the current welfare system for the disabled.
Asada Tatsuo, who has severe physical disabilities, had received home-visit care services for free based on the law to support the independence of disabled people. Before Asada’s 65th birthday, the city office told him that he will receive welfare services under the public nursing care insurance system after he turns 65 and he will have to pay 10% of the cost.
Calling for the continuation of the welfare services under the law on assistance to the disabled, Asada refused to apply for the nursing care insurance system. The city office decided to terminate the welfare services for him until he submitted an application to the public nursing care insurance system. After that, the city government began only offering care services under the nursing-care system.
In September, Asada filed a lawsuit with the Okayama District Court claiming that the city should provide him service based on the system for disabled assistance and nursing-care.
Asada on November 27 at the first hearing of the case said, “What the city said was nothing different from a sentence of death. I was so afraid that I could not sleep for days.” He stressed that it is clearly a case of age discrimination to kick out over-65-year-old people from the support under the law to support the independence of disabled people.
Asada’s lawyer Kakizaki Hiroyuki pointed out that the city separates the older disabled from the younger disabled, and forces them to share heavier financial burdens. He stressed that the importance of this court case is to expose the apparent abnormality of the current welfare system for the disabled.
