October 29, 1999

Kiyoshi SASAMORI
General Secretary
Japanese Trade Union Confederation (JTUC-RENGO)

The three parties of Japan's governing coalition, the Liberal Party, Liberal Democratic Party and Komei Party, have agreed on seven items that will make up the public nursing-care this morning. Among the items are freezing premiums for six months from people aged 65 and over and granting a cash allowance to families taking care of the elderly at home.

The government had previously approved a public nursing-care system and had started to enforce it. Sudden changes of fundamental content will only create confusion and anxiety. This new agreement is a vote-gathering tactic for the upcoming general election and contradicts the main purpose of the public nursing care.

Rengo has protested urgently to the government, the Ministry of the Health and Welfare and the coalition parties in power to maintain the framework of the existing system. The current priority is enriching home care services, not freezing premiums or providing cash.
However, the government has said it will take into serious consideration the agreement among the parties.

Freezing premiums for six months will badly confuse local governments and people who deal with the medical insurance, such as health insurance unions which are about to collect the premium for the next fiscal year.

The decision also ignores the ideology of trying to reform the welfare system by clarifying the relations between burdens and benefits into a welfare system which provides the right to choose.

Furthermore, a cash allowance to families caring for the elderly at home contradicts the fundamental goal of reforming the family care system into a social support system. And it may mean greater burdens to the wife, daughter and daughter in-law for home care.
Home nursing care service must solve this situation.

There are lots of unclear points in this agreement, such as the fate of existing premiums. The government plans to solidify the agreement early next week and apply for funds from the second supplementary fiscal budget.

Rengo will strongly oppose a temporary freeze of premiums and cash allowances. We will try to proceed with the existing system's original purpose of obtaining the home helpers, arranging the foundation for home nursing-care service by group and on a daily basis, finding countermeasure for low income families and supporting independent elderly people who do not need nursing care.