Japan Press Weekly

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2013 July 3 - 9 [WELFARE]

Citizens demand that gov’t not link lowering of livelihood protection standard to school expenses subsidy system

The All Japan Federation for Organizations for the Protection of Life and Health (Zenseiren) on July 8 visited the Education Ministry to demand that the planned lowering of the livelihood protection standard in August not be reflected in the school expenses subsidy program.

Under the program, municipalities will provide needy households having children of compulsory school age with subsidies for school expenses, such as school supplies and school lunches. Households receiving welfare benefits and households having financial difficulties are eligible for this program.

An education ministry official said that families on public welfare assistance that received the education subsidy in April will continue to be entitled to the subsidy program after August. The official added that the ministry is instructing municipalities to treat households with financial difficulties as the same way as those on welfare.

While saying that the ministry will try to minimize the adverse impact of public assistance cutbacks on the subsidy system in the next fiscal year, the officer added, “We cannot make a definite promise as the budget for the program is yet to be secured.”

Zenseiren Vice President Sakaguchi Tadao said, “The standard for welfare assistance is scheduled to be gradually reduced over the next three years. If the ministry fails to obtain the minimum necessary budget, many children will be excluded from the school expenses subsidy system.”