Nagasaki Calls For Support For 'black Rain' Survivors
The city and prefecture of Nagasaki have called for the central government to expand its recognition guideline of atomic-bomb survivors, or "hibakusha," of the city's 1945 bombing.
Nagasaki City Mayor Taue Tomihisa visited the health ministry in Tokyo on Tuesday with other prefectural officials.
They say a group of experts analyzed a fiscal 1999 testimonial survey of 7,000 residents who had lived outside of an area designated by the central government.
They explained that the survey statistically proved that "black rain" that contained radioactive material fell outside of the boundary right after the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. They say that people who lived outside of the area should be recognized as hibakusha and eligible to receive the same benefits, or free access to medical care, as those inside the boundary.
In April, the health ministry expanded its atomic-bomb survivor recognition guidelines for Hiroshima. People outside the prefecture's government-designated area are now recognized as hibakusha if they were likely exposed to black rain and if they suffer from diseases such as cancer.
But this revision has not been applied to survivors in Nagasaki. The central government says there is no objective evidence to prove that black rain fell on the city immediately after the bombing.
Taue told reporters that Nagasaki and Hiroshima are now divided.
He also said he wants the central government to take action as soon as possible, as survivors are aging and time is limited.