There have been recent newspaper advertisements labeled "opinion" from a group calling itself the Free Choice Foundation. From the name it seems the person listed as founder and chairman is non-Japanese yet wants to tell the Japanese government and people what to do with its social security net.

As a non-Japanese I can't say strongly enough how very satisfied I am with the system here and object strongly to the arrogance shown by some self-appointed pressure group (probably a one-man group) to try to tell the Japanese people how to run their affairs on such important matters.

Everyone should be covered by social insurance whether they like it or not, including the founder of this group. If he wants more insurance than provided by social security then let him pay extra for it, but he should support the system, which sees that everyone in Japan, including non-Japanese, can be guaranteed basic social services.

We should not follow the lead of the United States, where 20 percent of the population does not have adequate health insurance and where people have a considerably shorter life span than those living in "civilized" countries. Or maybe it's a good idea to let Americans continue on their merry way and reach even shorter average life spans.

john bosworth