Okinawa Prefecture plans to eliminate deep-rooted discrimination with the establishment of a Hansens Disease Council. (25my22)


Splendor of Okinawa: Barleria cristata, on a wall in Uruma, 21my20

Okinawa Prefecture is searching for a solution to the problem of eradicating discrimination against former victims of Hansen's Disease and harmonizing their place in society. It was learned on 22 May that the Prefecture has firmed up its plan to set up a council within this year composed of Hansen’s disease survivors, educational specialists, relevant groups and others.


26 years have passed since the Leprosy Prevention Law abolition, which put an end to the quarantine of victims. Yet even now, discrimination against former victims and their families and the distress of living in local communities remains deeply rooted. The Prefecture intends to go about gathering opinions of the people concerned with the purpose of eradicating the problem.


The Okinawa Hansen’s Disease Survivors Group requested the establishment of the council at a meeting with Governor Denny Tamaki last November. In January of this year, a questionnaire was published under the Prefectural Governor’s signature. It set out a plan for the speedy establishment of such a council. The plan proclaimed, “A council will be set in place to meet the request of all Hansen’s Disease survivors looking forward to the complete resolution of the Hansen’s disease issues.” 


According to those involved, on 12 January of this year, as a prior step in the establishment of the council, the first meeting of the preparatory committee was held. As of the present, 2 meetings have been held.


Those in charge at the Prefecture stressed, “This is our chance for discussions with the survivors. We intend to answer any opinions or thoughts we receive as best we can.” Since the former victims who have sought the return of their human rights are in the midst of advancing old age under the threat of death and such, those in charge further stated, “We want to gather their opinions with a sense of speed.”


Original Japanese article: Ryukyu Shimpo, published Monday 23 May 2022 at 08:28. Byline: Yukinao Chinen

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/b4867e0058e2617cd8facf0af2438cb6b6f8f71e


Denny in the News: news about Okinawan Governor Denny Tamaki.

Denny Tamaki is the governor of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. Although Okinawa is important as an international tourist destination and a key element in strategic US Military Forces, its governor receives very little coverage in the Japanese press and almost none in the English language media. 

  1. This blog hopes to  translate one news article a day on the governor.  It is unsponsored and unauthorized. The translator simply hopes to improve his skills and perhaps give the governor an English speaking audience. 

  2. Any suggestion on improving the translation will be gratefully accepted. However, please leave political comments for another forum.

  3. Where they occur, words and phrases in Ryukyuan (the Okinawan language) are rendered in italics and translated in parentheses. Names  whose readings are uncertain are rendered as Name (=Kanji?) as in Nagayuki (=長行?). Any corrections in such instances would be gratefully appreciated.

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