November 5, 2015
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2015 November 4 - 10 [SOCIAL ISSUES]
Hibakusha exposed to ‘black rain’ file lawsuit seeking official certificate |
Those plaintiffs are 64 people aged between 70 and 90. On August 6, 1945, they were exposed to the radioactive rain which came down following the explosion of the atomic bomb. Since then they have suffered from various serious illnesses, including cancer. The national government has refused to recognize them as A-bomb sufferers on the grounds that they were caught in that rain outside the area which the government officially designated as covered by the Atomic Bomb Victims Relief Law.
In 2008, the authorities of Hiroshima Prefecture and Hiroshima City conducted a large-scale survey on A-bomb survivors. Based on the survey results, the local governments in July 2010 requested the central government to expand the zone covered by the relief law sixfold.
In July 2012, the national government rejected the request by saying that the claim has no scientific, reasonable basis. Following that, the city and prefectural authorities turned down the plaintiffs’ applications for certification as A-bomb survivors.
The plaintiffs demand in the lawsuit that authorities widen the area covered by the assistance act and implement measures to realistically relieve all A-bomb sufferers.
After the filing, the plaintiffs and their supporters held a rally. Takano Masaaki, 77, heading the plaintiffs group, said, “It is 37 years since those exposed to the ‘black rain’ launched their struggle. I’ll do my utmost to win this court battle.”
Lawyer Hiroshima Atsutaka, leader of the defense counsel for the plaintiffs, said, “I believe that our suit will contribute to abolishing the war legislation as well as nuclear weapons in the world.”
Past related article:
> Gov’t should play its role to support A-bomb survivors [August 6, 2015]
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