Hepatitis B case plaintiffs, government sign basic agreement on damages

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Hepatitis B case plaintiffs, gov't sign basic agreement on damages

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japanese government signed a basic agreement Tuesday to pay

damages to people infected with the hepatitis B virus through the repeated use

of needles in group vaccinations between 1948 and 1988.

The signing took place between Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Ritsuo

Hosokawa and the representatives of the plaintiffs in damages suits filed with

10 district courts in Japan.

" The government admits its responsibility for causing huge damage and failing to

prevent the damage from expanding and sincerely apologizes to infected victims

and their bereaved families, " the agreement said.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan later met with the representatives and offered an

apology.

The agreement covers not only the plaintiffs but also people who contracted the

virus through group vaccinations at ages of up to seven over the 40 years to

1988 and did not participate in the suits.

The government has estimated 450,000 people in Japan to be eligible to receive

damages under the agreement. They include even those who have yet to develop

symptoms. Damages will range from 500,000 yen to 36 million yen per person.

The agreement also said the government will set up a third-party organization to

look into details of the group vaccinations, will facilitate virus tests and

will promote public relations to prevent hepatitis B sufferers from being

discriminated against.

(Mainichi Japan) June 29, 2011

[Guest guest]

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110629p2g00m0dm006000c.html

Hepatitis B case plaintiffs, gov't sign basic agreement on damages

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japanese government signed a basic agreement Tuesday to pay

damages to people infected with the hepatitis B virus through the repeated use

of needles in group vaccinations between 1948 and 1988.

The signing took place between Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Ritsuo

Hosokawa and the representatives of the plaintiffs in damages suits filed with

10 district courts in Japan.

" The government admits its responsibility for causing huge damage and failing to

prevent the damage from expanding and sincerely apologizes to infected victims

and their bereaved families, " the agreement said.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan later met with the representatives and offered an

apology.

The agreement covers not only the plaintiffs but also people who contracted the

virus through group vaccinations at ages of up to seven over the 40 years to

1988 and did not participate in the suits.

The government has estimated 450,000 people in Japan to be eligible to receive

damages under the agreement. They include even those who have yet to develop

symptoms. Damages will range from 500,000 yen to 36 million yen per person.

The agreement also said the government will set up a third-party organization to

look into details of the group vaccinations, will facilitate virus tests and

will promote public relations to prevent hepatitis B sufferers from being

discriminated against.

(Mainichi Japan) June 29, 2011