Category: Japan

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 24, 2024 Number of comments0
Disability Elderly Health Japan Welfare

Japan Health Insurance Premium Rate to Hit Record High

The average premium rate at corporate health insurance societies in Japan is projected to hit a record high of 9.32 pct in fiscal 2024, according to the National Federation of Health Insurance Societies, or Kenporen. Reflecting an increase in contributions to the medical care services for the elderly, the rate is expected to rise 0.05 percentage point from the previous year, which ended in March, the group of health insurance societies for employees of large corporations and their families said Tuesday.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 22, 2024 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Podcast Shog.A.I. Shimbun Welfare

The Shog-A.I. Shimbun Podcast #21: Eight Kansai-based Type 1 Diabetes Patients Have Disability Payments Restored After Second Court Case

Eight years ago, eight patients living in Osaka, Nara, etc. filed a lawsuit against the government after their long-term basic disability pension was discontinued, and all of them won, but they were subsequently rejected again by the government. Since the payment was made, they filed a second complaint.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 20, 2024 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Osaka Welfare

After Second Court Case, Osaka High Court Upholds Right to Disability Pension for Type 1 Diabetes Patients, Reversing Govt’s Decision

Eight years ago, eight patients living in Osaka, Nara, etc. filed a lawsuit against the government after their long-term basic disability pension was discontinued, and all of them won, but they were subsequently rejected again by the government. Since the payment was made, they filed a second complaint. On April 19th, the Osaka High Court ordered the government to pay pensions to all eight people, stating that it was illegal to deny them pensions.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 19, 2024 Number of comments0
Crime Elderly Japan Travel

5 Years On, Japanese Man Remains Resolved to Eliminate Accidents

A Japanese man who lost his wife and daughter in a high-profile accident involving a runaway car driven by an elderly man five years ago says he hopes to “leverage (through dialogue) the victimizer’s experience to prevent traffic accidents.” 

The bereaved man, Takuya Matsunaga, 37, is slated to hold a meeting shortly with the elderly man, Kozo Iizuka, 92, who is serving a prison term over the incident.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 18, 2024 Number of comments0
Health Japan Minamata Disease

Japan Court Orders Damages over Niigata Minamata Disease

A Japanese district court Thursday ordered Resonac Holdings Corp. to pay 104 million yen in damages to people claiming to suffer from Niigata Minamata disease, a neurological disorder caused by mercury poisoning.

The judge rejected the claim against the government while ordering Resonac to pay 4 million yen to each of the 26 plaintiffs identified as disease victims. His ruling was read out by another judge Yusuke Suzuki.