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Yomiuri Shimbun
5 days ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Public Assistance Ruling: Govt Bears Heavy Responsibility for Failing to Justify Reductions
Public assistance is an essential system for ensuring that people in need can live with peace of mind. A court ruling emphasized the need for careful consideration when changing the amount of benefits in the system. In lawsuits filed by recipients who argued that significant reductions in welfare benefits violated the Public Assistance Law, the Third Petty Bench of the Supreme Court ruled that the reductions were illegal and ordered cancellation of the cuts. The ruling has become finalized. Similar lawsuits have been filed in 29 district courts nationwide, and this ruling sets a precedent for those cases. The central and local governments will likely need to recalculate appropriate amounts not only for the plaintiffs in the lawsuits but also for all other recipients at the time of the cuts. The standard amounts for welfare benefits serve as a benchmark for other support programs, such as reductions and exemptions for childcare fees and national pension insurance premiums. These programs may also be affected. The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry announced cuts of up to 10% in the standard amounts for food and utilities support welfare benefits during a period from 2013 to 2015, resulting in a total reduction of ¥67 billion. This measure was said to be to respond to the declines in prices and wages following the 2008 collapse of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers. The main point of contention in the litigations was the appropriateness of the 'deflation adjustment' reflecting the rate of price declines. The Supreme Court said that 'the revised rates in the deflation adjustment based solely on the rates of price fluctuations lacked consistency with expert knowledge,' concluding that 'the health, labor and welfare minister's judgment exceeded or abused discretion and was therefore illegal.' As for the series of the lawsuits, the cuts were ruled illegal in seven cases at the high court level. The government is considered to have broad discretionary authority, and courts generally tend to respect its judgment. In that sense, the top court's strict ruling can be described as significant. The review of public assistance was carried out after the Liberal Democratic Party included it in its campaign pledges for the 2012 House of Representatives election. Is there any suspicion that the calculations were distorted to achieve a predetermined reduction? The government should reexamine the decision-making process for the reductions and fulfill its accountability to the public. Welfare benefits in the public assistance program are received by 1.65 million households, half of which are single-person elderly households. The number of applications for welfare benefits has increased for five consecutive years, probably because more households find it difficult to make ends meet due to the COVID-19 pandemic and rising prices. The Constitution states, 'All people shall have the right to maintain the minimum standards of wholesome and cultured living,' and imposes on the state the duty to protect this right. Since reductions in welfare benefits directly affect people's lives, clear reasons for cuts are necessary. The government must enhance the transparency of the system. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 28, 2025)
Yomiuri Shimbun
6 days ago
- Health
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Pikachu, Snorlax Named Official Sleep Support Ambassadors; Move by Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry Aims to Encourage Healthy Rest
In a charming and strategic move to encourage healthy sleeping habits, Pikachu and Snorlax — two beloved characters from the globally popular Pokemon franchise — have officially been appointed as 'sleep support ambassadors' by the government. The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry spearheaded this initiative, which leverages the appeal of these iconic figures to encourage people, especially children, to develop better sleep habits. The characters are expected to participate in various public awareness events, adding a fun, recognizable element to the important message that everyone needs to get enough sleep. The ministry recommends nine to 12 hours of sleep for elementary students, and eight to 10 hours for junior and high school students, to maintain good health. Since last fiscal year, the ministry has been collaborating with the Pokemon Company, which publishes 'Pokemon Sleep,' a smartphone game that tracks the user's sleep. Together, they have created brochures and other materials to encourage adequate sleep. On Thursday, the day of the announcement, Snorlax and a nightcapped Pikachu visited the ministry and received their letters of appointment from Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Takamaro Fukuoka. 'We hope to continue working with the health ministry to positively change sleep habits,' said Pokemon Company Representative Director Takato Utsunomiya.
24-06-2025
- Business
Japan Consumer Affairs Agency Names 6th Straight Female Head
News from Japan Society Jun 24, 2025 18:27 (JST) Tokyo, June 24 (Jiji Press)-- Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency said Tuesday that it has named Natsuko Horii, 58, a senior official at the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, as its next commissioner. Horii, director-general for human resources development at the ministry, will become the sixth consecutive woman to lead the agency to succeed Yutaka Arai, who will leave the position on July 1. After entering the former Labor Ministry, now integrated into the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, in 1990, Horii has held positions including deputy governor of Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, and chief of the ministry's Employment Environment and Equal Employment Bureau, before assuming the current post in July 2024. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Japan Today
24-06-2025
- Health
- Japan Today
Japan begins pre-entry TB checks for some foreigners planning to stay over 3 months
Japan introduced mandatory pre-arrival tuberculosis screening on Monday for people planning to stay over three months, starting with those from the Philippines and Nepal, a government official said. Vietnam is expected to be added to the list in September, with Indonesia, Myanmar and China to follow. The number of foreign nationals diagnosed with the infectious disease while in Japan is on the rise, and they are comprised mostly of people from the six countries, according to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. The screening requirement will initially apply to citizens who normally reside in the Philippines and Nepal, and plan to stay in Japan over a mid to long term. They will be obliged to provide evidence that they are not infected with tuberculosis before their arrival or will be denied entry. While tuberculosis is curable and preventable, it killed an estimated 1.25 million people in 2023 and has likely regained its status as the world's deadliest infectious disease after being temporarily overtaken by COVID-19, according to the World Health Organization. In Japan, the number of tuberculosis patients fell below 10 per 100,000 people for the first time in 2021, reaching 9.2 and placing the country in the WHO's low-incidence category. The rate declined further to 8.1 in 2023, according to the latest health ministry data. © KYODO
Kyodo News
23-06-2025
- Health
- Kyodo News
Japan begins pre-entry TB checks for foreigners staying over 3 months
KYODO NEWS - 15 minutes ago - 20:16 | All, Japan Japan introduced mandatory pre-arrival tuberculosis screening on Monday for people planning to stay over three months, starting with those from the Philippines and Nepal, a government official said. Vietnam is expected to be added to the list in September, with Indonesia, Myanmar and China to follow. The number of foreign nationals diagnosed with the infectious disease while in Japan is on the rise, and they are comprised mostly of people from the six countries, according to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. The screening requirement will initially apply to citizens who normally reside in the Philippines and Nepal, and plan to stay in Japan over a mid to long term. They will be obliged to provide evidence that they are not infected with tuberculosis before their arrival or will be denied entry. While tuberculosis is curable and preventable, it killed an estimated 1.25 million people in 2023 and has likely regained its status as the world's deadliest infectious disease after being temporarily overtaken by COVID-19, according to the World Health Organization. In Japan, the number of tuberculosis patients fell below 10 per 100,000 people for the first time in 2021, reaching 9.2 and placing the country in the WHO's low-incidence category. The rate declined further to 8.1 in 2023, according to the latest health ministry data. Related coverage: Japanese startup test kit shows promise in early cancer detection Top court rejects appeal by doctor over euthanasia of ALS patient Japan hospital uses insulin-producing iPS cells for type 1 diabetes
