PRESS CONFERENCE
"The Right of Foreigners to Receive Welfare"
Satoshi Oikawa, Lawyer
Keiko Kishi, Director of Chiba Prefecture Community Life Settlement Support Center
Siaw Johnson Kwaku, Ghanaian plaintiff
12:00-13:00 Thursday, March 10, 2022
Language: The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation.
On December 14th, 2021, a lawsuit was filed in the Chiba District Court on the behalf of a Ghanaian citizen residing in Japan demanding the right to apply for public assistance. At the heart of this lawsuit is whether Japan affords the same rights as its citizens to foreign-born residents.
In 2014, the Supreme Court ruled against foreign-born residents demanding the right to receive public benefits under the Public Assistance Act. However, the lawyers in this current case argue that there are serious and "life-threatening" circumstances that must be considered.
The lawyers cite the plight of other foreign-born residents of Japan who are in good health when they enter Japan but become unable to work due to disabilities, illnesses or the sudden need for special medical care. They say such "life-threatening" situations have recently increased as many foreign-born residents have lost their jobs in Japan and yet cannot return to their home countries due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic or other reasons.
The Constitution of the World Health Organization says the "enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition". Declining access to welfare assistance for foreign-born residents of Japan is therefore a human rights issue, say the plaintiff's lawyers.
How to attend:
Please register at front@fccj.or.jp with your name, the name of your media outlet, and FCCJ membership number. Due to space restrictions attendance will be limited to 20 people. Doors open 15 minutes before the event. Please sign in, giving your name and contact details at the reception, and have your temperature taken before proceeding.
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Professional Activities Committee