Welfare System Controversy: Kiryu City Faces Lawsuit for National Compensation

Series ③
A third-party committee was launched to address issues related to the operation of Kiryu City’s welfare system, and on April 3, two users filed a lawsuit demanding national compensation against the town, aiming to clarify the actual situation entered. We ask if the city’s welfare administration can be revived based on new evidence and data.

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◆ When a support group requests information…

It was clear that the voices on the phone were afraid. “I never thought they were afraid of Kiryu City. Shigeru Machida (51), head of the secretariat of the Gunma Anti-Poverty Network, a civil organization that works to support the poor, sighs.

Between January and March this year, Mr. Machida distributed about 4,000 leaflets promoting consultation and information about welfare at prefectural and municipal housing in Kiryu City, where many welfare recipients and survivors lived. the poverty living.

After the release, the office received 35 calls. However, I could not get the full picture. When we asked them what kind of response they received from the city, most of them refused to give specific evidence. “If what I said is found out, the town will take revenge against me.” One by one, they expressed fear of “retaliation” from the city.

I thought, “It’s just their age and their age,” but even then, many of them were afraid to identify themselves, and their mouths stood out, and I could only guess from the tone of their voices that most of them were middle class. – older or older men. There were a few people who talked about it in detail. However, the case is very serious and details cannot be released at this time.

◆ “Feeling close to retirement” felt by people in poverty

Machida has been active with the Gunma Anti-Poverty Network for about five years, and is surprised that he has never seen such a response before. “In the past, many people consulted people because they wanted to solve problems or make improvements, but it’s clear that Kiryu is different, and he doesn’t want to solve problems. There is a feeling that is close to giving up.”

What I saw from there was a picture of a lonely and poor man.

“If you are so poor that you don’t have access to the Internet or you can’t even subscribe to newspapers, you don’t get information from the outside.” First, the government should have a pioneer in reaching out to people in need Mr. Machida feels the depth of the psychology in Kiryu City’s long history of extermination.

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◆ Comments submitted to account amount “250,000 yen”

On April 3, two male consumers, who were forced to pay the welfare allowance in installments and were unable to receive the full monthly amount, filed a national compensation lawsuit against Kiryu City.

After filing the suit with the Kiryu branch of the Maebashi District Court, the defense team read the comments submitted by the two at a press conference held in the city of Maebashi. What they had in common was that they “didn’t want anyone else to feel the same way” and “I don’t want Kiryu City to do anything illegal a- again. ”

(Here is a picture)

According to Takumi Saito, the head of the defense team, the reason the amount of compensation requested was set at 250,000 yen per person was due to the desire that “Article 25 of the Constitution, which ‘a definition of the right to life, maintained in society.” describe the case as a lawsuit for financial gain.

When there is a large movement related to welfare, there is almost always a backlash against users and supporters. Immediately after the lawsuit was filed, similar posts were found on the Internet.

“The number of people living in difficult situations is increasing, and some politicians are receiving welfare benefits, so dissatisfaction is being directed towards people there their weaker circumstances.” Mihoko Kobayashi (55), a freelance writer and employee of Tsukukuroi Tokyo Fund, a united general society that supports people in poverty, is concerned about the growing share of citizens. (This series was directed by Kenichi Komatsuda)

Yes