For more than a century, Hansen's disease patients and their relatives in Japan have suffered unreasonable discrimination. Since the Meiji Era, Japan has forced patients into social isolation under the Leprosy Prevention Law, ruining their lives.
The Kumamoto District Court, in a landmark ruling May 11, held the Diet and the government responsible for the plight of the patients. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on May 25 announced a government decision not to appeal the ruling, which ordered the state to pay compensation to former patients.
The denouement of the court battle does not provide a final solution to the issue. Subject to further negotiations are pensions for former patients and other problems. The government has said it will deal sincerely with the matter. I only hope that a swift settlement will be reached.