Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2013 January 23 - 29 [WELFARE]

Abe seeks the largest-ever cut in public assistance payments

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

The government led by Prime Minister Abe Shinzo decided to drastically reduce livelihood protection payments for the next three consecutive years. The topic has been a focus of discussion in compiling the next fiscal year’s budget. Cuts in livelihood protection benefits, which are already reaching bare subsistence level, will give recipients a further blow leading to a possible decline in minimum wage standards as well. People’s living conditions as a whole would be adversely affected.

The government is seeking the largest cut ever of 67 billion yen in its expenditure for the livelihood protection program during the FY2013. Within the next three years from coming August, more than 74 billion yen in total is expected to be cut.

If put into effect, the measure will affect more than 90% of families on welfare, cutting up to 10% in benefits of some households. The larger the number of family members, the greater the reduction. So, families with children will directly suffer a great deal. Poverty often passed down from parents to their children, the so-called chain of poverty, will continue or even spread to other families. This will threaten Japan’s future social stability.

Article 25 of the Japanese Constitution requires the State to guarantee a dignified life for all people. In the 1960 “Asahi Lawsuit”, Asahi Shigeru who was a tuberculosis patient in a sanatorium claimed that the government’s termination of welfare benefits on the grounds that he received a little help from his brother was unconstitutional. It was judged that the government action violated the Constitution and that the government was responsible for ensuring people’s right to existence. The court ruled that the State in its budget allocations must not influence “the minimum standards of wholesome and cultured living.” The present Abe government’s pursuit of cuts in welfare payments for “financial reasons” is nothing but a return to the past threat to the right to existence.

On the one hand, the Abe government is aiming at cuts in social security payments, including livelihood assistance. On the other hand, it provides generous tax incentives for large corporations and raises budget allocations for military spending and large public works projects. It is necessary to make a dramatic shift in these policies.

This year commemorates the 100th anniversary of Asahi Shigeru’s birth and the 50th anniversary of his death. A nationwide movement that is spreading has become important to stop the planned cutback in livelihood protection payments and establish policies which make the best use of Article 25 of the Constitution.