Lawmakers?plan to submit a bill on aid for surviving civilian victims of the Pacific War, part of World War II, to the ongoing session of parliament in early July.
The move was decided Monday by members of a suprapartisan group of lawmakers,?predominantly from opposition parties, working to support people who were significantly affected by airstrikes and other damaging impacts of the war.
It will be the first time in 38 years that such a bill has been submitted to parliament. The group is led by Katsuei Hirasawa, a member of the House of Representatives, the lower parliamentary chamber, and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
The bill will call for a one-time payment of ?500,000 to each of those who became disabled due to airstrikes during the Pacific War or the Battle of Okinawa, part of the war in Okinawa, between the now-defunct Japanese military and the Allied powers. It will also stipulate that a survey should be conducted on the details of damage sustained.
The legislation is slated to be submitted to the House of Councilors, the upper chamber of parliament.
Lawmakers from the ruling coalition are expected to jointly sponsor the planned bill if intraparty coordination is done by the end of this month.
Opposition parties, including the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, decided on the move in view of the aging of victims, at a time when little progress has been made in related procedures within the ruling camp.
The envisioned support measure was worked out through discussions between the lawmakers¡¯ group and the Liaison Council of Air-Raid Victims of Japan, which was established in 2010.
About 3,200 people are expected to be eligible for the aid, with the total amount of one-time payments seen reaching around ?1.6 billion.
The government has paid a total of about ?60 trillion, including pensions, to former Japanese troops and other military workers.
On the other hand, it has refused to pay compensation to civilian victims, based on its view that people must endure damaging impacts of the war equally.
Setsuko Kawai, 87, who lost loved ones including her mother in the massive U.S. airstrike on Tokyo on March 10, 1945, has sought the establishment of a relief law through her activities at the liaison council.
¡°I think this Diet session is crucial,¡± Kawai said, referring to Japan¡¯s parliament. ¡°I hope (the legislation) will be passed, but I want discussions to be held first.¡±
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