Japan Press Weekly

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2011 December 21 - 2012 January 5 [GREAT EAST JAPAN DISASTER]

Reinstate livelihood protection for receivers of disaster relief money: Fukushima Pref.

The Fukushima Prefectural government on December 22 ordered its Minamisoma City government to retract the city’s suspension of payments of livelihood protection benefits to recipients who received monetary relief.

Minamisoma City stopped providing livelihood protection benefits to those who received disaster relief money and/or temporary compensation from the operator of the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Of those affected, three recipients filed administrative complaints with the prefectural government, claiming that the city government’s termination of welfare benefits is unjust.

The prefectural government stated in its decision that the city government arbitrarily designated monetary relief as income without conducting a necessary and careful investigation. It also found that this action violates Article 56 of the Public Assistance Act banning unfair changes in providing welfare assistance to recipients.

A secretary general of the Fukushima Prefectural Association for Safeguarding People’s Lives and Health with which the three are affiliated said, “The city government should take the prefectural government order seriously and reinstate the payment of livelihood protection benefits.” He also said that the prefecture should give the same order to similar cases in other parts of Fukushima without delay.