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2012 April 25 - May 8 [WELFARE]

700 protesters call for better law to support the handicapped

April 27, 2012
“Abolish the disabled person ‘self-support’ law!” 700 people, including handicapped individuals, on April 26 called for the enactment of appropriate legislation.

On the same day, a bill to “comprehensively support” disabled people was passed through a plenary session in the House of Representatives by a majority of the Democratic, the Liberal Democratic, and Komei parties. The bill was sent to the House of Councilors.

Though the bill’s name is different from the current law, it is taking over a basic part of the law. The “beneficially-pays principle” remains unchanged in which the service fees vary depending on disability.

In a discussion at the Lower House, Japanese Communist Party Takahashi Chizuko condemned the government action for breaking the agreement to repeal the law, which was made in 2010 in a lawsuit filed by disabled persons seeking the abolition of the “beneficially-pays system”. She opposed the bill, saying that it is trampling on the demands of the disabled.

Oyama Fujio, one of the former plaintiffs claiming that the law goes against the Constitution, said, “We ended the suit when the government promised to discontinue the law. The government has the responsibility of ensuring stable livelihoods for the handicapped.”
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