Saturday, February 1, 2014

Plaintiffs raged at the State's appeal ~ Osaka Sennan Area Asbestos Case






 On Dec. 25, 2013, a landmark ruling was handed down at Osaka High Court to the 58  plaintiffs and 33 aggrieved party (2nd group action) that government was held liable for asbestos-related diseases due to its failure to protect workers from harmful exposures. Finding the decision disagreeable, the state appealed to the Supreme Court on Jan. 7.  
"It's really too bad to face the outrageous appeal,” MINAMI Kazuko (photo), one of the plaintiffs, told at the press conference. “For eight years we have been asking the government to take responsibilities for failing to take measures against asbestos exposures. Asbestos can never be taken away, once inhaled. I'm suffering from pulmonic malfunction and feeling seriously ill, but still I managed to come to Tokyo to plead. The ruling by Osaka High Court gave us a moment of relief and delight and now we are stirred to anger. So many plaintiffs are still in distress. I myself feel frustrated and miserable to learn that the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and those ministers who are supposed to secure our life and protect our health give us the cold shoulder. I am quite upset about the deliverance." (By NISHINAKA Seiichiro)


吸い込んだ石綿は取り出せない!原告怒りの会見~国が「大阪・泉南アスベスト裁判」で上告

昨年12月25日「大阪・泉南アスベスト国賠訴訟」(第二陣:原告58人 被害者33人)で、大阪高等裁判所は、政府の違法性を認定したが、国側は不服として1月7日に最高裁判所に上告した。原告の一人、南和子さん(写真)は7 日午後の会見でこう語った。「国の不当上告は本当に残念です。これまで8年近く、原告は一生懸命訴え続けてきました。一端吸い込んだ石綿は取り出すことが できない。肺機能を犯され、本当に辛い体を押しながら上京しました。12月25日の大阪高裁では良い判決を頂いて少し喜んだのも束の間、政府の判断に怒り を感じます。どうしても国の上告には納得がいかない。原告がまだまだ沢山苦しんでいる。国民の命と健康を守るべき厚労省や大臣が私たちのことを考えてくれ ない悔しさと情けなさが、一気に身に滲みます。本当に怒り心頭させております」。(西中誠一郎)

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