Separated at birth, Hansen's disease victims detail fallout from defunct segregation policies
Rosita Harum said it was "the most precious moment" of her life when she was reunited with her father, a former leprosy patient, after they were separated for 61 years by a Malaysian policy that quarantined people with the disease. Born to ethnic Chinese parents, ...
Japan's government urged to do more to fight discrimination over leprosy
During a meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday, relatives of former leprosy patients called on the government to continue efforts to combat discrimination following the recent enactment of a law for compensation. They expressed gratitude for the enactment of the law, passed this ...
The law allows compensation payments of up to ¥1.8 million to family members of people with leprosy who experienced discrimination and prejudice under Japan’s former segregation policy.
Only when a correct understanding of the disease has been established through various efforts will the dignity and human rights of the former Hansen's disease patients and their relatives be fully restored.
Japan lawmakers sign off on plan to compensate families of former leprosy patients
A group of Japanese lawmakers on Thursday approved a plan to compensate family members of former leprosy patients with payments of up to ¥1.8 million each. The group of ruling and opposition party lawmakers will finalize a bill and submit it to the ongoing extraordinary ...
Japanese lawmakers agree on payments to kin of former leprosy patients
A nonpartisan group of lawmakers reached a broad agreement on Wednesday to offer family members of former leprosy patients up to ¥1.8 million in compensation per person. The agreement came after a district court in June ordered the state to pay between ¥300,000 and ¥1.3 ...
Abe apologizes to kin of former leprosy patients over past segregation policy
The apology came after the government chose not to appeal a court decision ordering the state to pay about ¥376 million in damages to family members of leprosy patients.
The prime minister confirmed the “severe prejudice and discrimination” they endured as relatives of Hansen’s disease patients.
In 'rare' move, Abe says government won't appeal damages awarded to leprosy patients' kin
“We must not prolong the hardship of family members who have gone through something indescribable,” Abe said in announcing the decision.
The government needs to listen to what patients' relatives have gone through and explore what can be done to make up for the damage done.
Court orders Japan government to pay ¥370 million to leprosy patients' kin for discrimination
The ruling by the Kumamoto District Court is the first to compensate for discrimination suffered by relatives of people who had Hansen’s disease.
The decision reflects the parties’ consensus that there must be redress soon for the victims, who are advanced in age, without waiting for court decisions.
