Japanese editorial excerpts

Selected editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

COURTS BEHIND REVIEW OF A-BOMB DISEASE CRITERIA (The Daily Yomiuri as translated from the Yomiuri Shimbun)

Comments by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in which he proposed reviewing criteria for recognition as an atomic bomb disease patient are a significant step forward in improving the conditions of the surviving A-bomb victims.

In connection with this year's ceremonies to mark the anniversaries of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Abe met with representatives of survivors' groups to tell them he would instruct the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry to review its criteria for being recognized as a sufferer of atomic bomb disease. These sideline comments effectively acted as an announcement of the new policy.

Under the A-Bomb Survivors' Support Law, people qualified for recognition as an atomic bomb survivor are those who were near Ground Zero in Hiroshima or Nagasaki within two weeks of the bombing. Such certified survivors are provided with an atomic bomb survivor health handbook and are entitled to free medical treatment.

Currently, there are about 250,000 people registered as atomic bomb survivors. But only about 2,200 people are recognized as atomic bomb radiation disease patients, meaning there are still significant barriers to recognizing causal relationships between diseases and radiation exposure.

Atomic bomb survivors whose applications to be certified have been rejected have in turn filed lawsuits at a number of the nation's courts.

So far, six district courts, including those in Tokyo, Osaka and Kumamoto, have ruled for the plaintiffs. This is a sign that the courts find the government's current criteria too rigid. Taking this trend into account, it seems the time is ripe for a political solution to the matter.

Some A-bomb survivors have given Abe high marks for his comments, while others believe the directive was a mere diversion from the problems that have caused his Cabinet's approval ratings to plummet.

However, Abe has been successful in settling long-running lawsuits against the government, including those over air pollution in Tokyo. The prime minister also has shown initiative in settling lawsuits filed by people infected with hepatitis through tainted blood products. Coupled with Abe's latest move, the prime minister seems to have made a political decision consistent with his previous ones.

Atomic bomb survivors are aging. This is no longer a matter to be settled by the courts. (Aug. 10)