Independent Living Activists Won against Gov't Budget Cuts

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Shoji Nakanishi
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chairperson, Japan Council on IL Center

　In the end of January 2003, the wheelchair users and other persons with disabilities surrounded the building of the Ministry of Labor, Health and Welfare for two weeks in spite of a very cold weather with freezing northern wind and snow.
　The National Government had been announced the new user-oriented scheme of personal assistance service to be introduced in April, under which disabled persons could select services they need. It was expected to start on improved service level, although the service will be provide by company and NGO with government subsidy.
　However, the Government changed the mind at the last moment without consultation with the organizations concerned including the Japan Council on Independent Living Center (JIL). It decided to cut the service from 24 hours a day to only four hours a day.
　JIL called all 120independent living centers to Tokyo on the next day and 500 PWDs occupied the ministry building. The building was closed 4 hours and no one could go in and out and TV and newspaper covered this. People all over Japan became aware of the situation. JIL contacted the other 4 big disability-related national organizations. Tow days later 1200 people gathered in front of the minister building. The ministry could not provide a clear-cut explanation on the decision. The campaign organized by them continued for 2 weeks.
　Many local governments supported the campaign, because the Ministry once announced that it would expand the service programs next fiscal year and increase subsidies to be given tot hem. 2003 fiscal year starts in April, so that local governments drafted the 2003 budget incorporating the scheme assumption that they would receive subsidies. Half of the expenses of the scheme are to be covered by national government subsidies, so that great confusion was also made among the local governments
　At last the Government withdrew their attempt and accepted our demand not to change. The agreement was made to maintain the amount of the service, to put no limitation on service hour and the future community service including PA service, and to create a committee that includes service users with disability as soon as possible. We won.

Negotiation between the campaing leaders and the bureaucrats.	Rally infront of the ministry building
500 campaign participants occupied the ministry lobby.	Reporting the result of negotion for those waiting outside
Distributing handouts to passengers	One of the leaders managed to get the protesters unruffled.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(Pictures were taken by the Human Care Association)

（19/3/2003）