Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has announced his intention to extend medical relief to individuals who were outside the government-designated radiation exposure area during the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. This relief would be equivalent to that provided to officially recognized hibakusha, or atomic bomb survivors.
Kishida made this statement following a meeting with Nagasaki Governor Kengo Oishi and Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence. The aim is to appeal the recent ruling by the Nagasaki District Court, which only recognized some of the plaintiffs as hibakusha.
The proposed medical assistance would be available to all approximately 6,300 hibaku taikensha in Nagasaki, not just those involved in the lawsuit. Hibaku taikensha refers to individuals who were within a 12-kilometer radius of the hypocenter of the atomic bombing but were outside the government-designated relief zone.
Currently, those outside this relief zone receive coverage for mental disorders associated with their atomic bombing experience, such as depression and insomnia. However, under this new plan, they would receive expanded medical relief similar to that provided for hibakusha who are exempt from medical expenses for various diseases.
To make access more convenient, Kishida intends to eliminate the requirement for hibaku taikensha to obtain a referral from a psychiatrist before receiving these benefits. The central government plans on implementing this change within this year and will discuss further details with local governments in Nagasaki.
In addition, it was revealed that Health Minister Keizo Takemi attended Saturday’s meeting and informed Governor Oishi and Mayor Suzuki about their intention to appeal against the district court ruling. The central government argues that there are discrepancies regarding areas where black rain containing radioactive materials fell. Both local leaders expressed their seriousness in addressing this matter.
This decision follows Prime Minister Kishida’s visit with hibaku taikensha in Nagasaki on August 9th when he instructed Takemi to coordinate measures towards finding a reasonable solution. Subsequently, based on evidence presented during court proceedings, it was determined that black rain had fallen in eastern parts of Nagasaki. Out of 44 plaintiffs (including four deceased), 15 were recognized as hibakusha by issuing Atomic Bomb Survivor’s Certificates.
It is worth noting that in a separate case related to Hiroshima’s atomic bombing, Hiroshima High Court ruled last year that individuals exposed to black rain should be considered hibakusha regardless of their location within designated areas specified by relief laws. This ruling has been finalized; however, until now it did not apply specifically in Nagasaki.
