Overview
- A coalition of seven opposition parties and the House of Councillors caucus Okinawa no Kaze submitted the bill to the upper house on Wednesday, formally filing the measure for Diet consideration.
- The bill would pay a one-time ¥500,000 to surviving civilians who suffer lasting physical or mental disabilities from World War II air raids and the Okinawa campaign and would require the government to carry out a fact-finding investigation of civilian damage.
- Drafted by a cross-party Diet caucus, the measure was carried into the Diet by opposition lawmakers because the ruling Liberal Democratic Party did not join the submission after failing to reach an internal agreement.
- Supporters say the law targets roughly 3,000 surviving victims and would set a statutory recognition and small cash relief for people who have long sought redress after courts rejected past compensation claims.
- Passage is uncertain but proponents plan to use the submission to press LDP lawmakers for backing and to force debate on a question that has not been taken to the Diet in 38 years.