Elderly Evacuees from Futaba-machi Living in School Bldg in Saitama Will Be Made to Pay for Their Boxed Meals, Starting September 1st

What a country. Wonder of the Orient.

Just remember that this country (Japan) is still the third largest economy in the world. But after more than 17 months since the earthquake/tsunami/nuclear accident, hardly anyone cares that these people are still living in school classrooms. It's worse than not caring, because now they will charge for the bento (meal in a box), which will cost these elderly residents 30,000 to 40,000 yen per person per month (US$381 to 508 per person per month).

Where do they have such money? No one cares. The evacuees from the same town, Futaba-machi, who have moved to temporary housing and other rental properties, have complained that they are not getting free meals, so everyone gotta pay, to be fair.

From Yomiuri Shinbun (8/24/2012):

自活町民と溝で…双葉町避難所の弁当有料化へ

Due to conflict with the Futaba-machi residents living on their own, evacuees at the Futaba-machi shelter [in Saitama] will have to pay for their bento (meal in a box)

東京電力福島第一原発事故で福島県双葉町の住民と役場機能が避難する埼玉県加須市の旧県立騎西高校で、９月から始まる弁当支給の有料化。

Starting September, the evacuees staying in the school building of former Kisai High School in Kazo City in Saitama Prefecture will have to pay for the bento meals that they receive.

町がこの対応を決めた背景には、既に同高校などの避難所を出て生活する他の住民の、食費負担の公平化を求める強い声があった。だが、同高校に残る住民の、有料化に対する反発も根強い。町民の間に生まれた溝は、自立や復興に向けた支援も行き届かないまま、避難所が１年半近くもの長期にわたり開設されていることが招いたとも言えそうだ。

The reason why the town has decided to charge for bento was the strong demand for equality from the town residents who have already left the school building and live on their own. However, the residents who still remain in the school building are resentful of the new charge. The conflict between the residents could be the result of the extended stay in the shelter for nearly one and a half year, with inadequate support for self-reliance and recovery.

同高校は、東日本大震災で開設され、現在ただ一つ残る公設避難所。約２１０人の住民が暮らし、食事は災害救助法に基づき、弁当が無償提供されている。

The Kisai High School shelter is the last remaining public shelter opened after the March 11, 2011 disaster. About 210 residents live there, and bento meals are provided free of charge under the Disaster Relief Act.

これについては、仮設や借り上げ住宅に移って自活する町民から「特別扱いだ」との批判がくすぶっていた。

[About these free meals,] there has been a silent resentment against this "special treatment" from the town's residents who have moved to temporary housing and rental houses and live on their own [and who have to pay for their own food].

９月１日からは、加須市内の弁当業者が同高校内で、弁当を３食計１１００円～１２５０円で販売する。１人あたり、毎月３万～４万円程度の負担になる計算だ。

Starting September 1, a bento distributor in Kazu City will sell bento meals for 1,100 to 1,250 yen [US$14 to 16] per three meals per day. It will cost 30,000 to 40,000 yen [US$381 to 508] per person per month.

２１日夜には同高校の町民約７０人が集まり、意見を交わした。参加した町民によると、ほとんどが有料化に反対で、「弁当代が払えないなら、『死ね』ということなのか」と嘆く高齢男性もいたという。実際、同高校で暮らす過半数は６５歳以上の高齢者で、要介護者もいる。

On the night of August 21, about 70 evacuees at the school gathered together talked. According to people who participated, most were against paying for the meals. There was an elderly man who lamented, "So, if I cannot pay for the bento, that means they are telling me to just die." In fact, most of the evacuees who remain in the shelter are over 65 years old, and some need medical assistance.

だが、一方で、同高校の町民から「避難所にどっぷりつかったままでいるわけにいかない」という声も聞かれる。厚生労働省によると、町が弁当を有料に切り替えても、同高校の避難所としての位置付けが変わることはないが、災害救助法による避難所の開設期間は原則７日以内。間もなく１年５か月となる同高校は、想定を大きく超えてしまっている。

On the other hand, there are residents at the shelter who say "We cannot go on living like this." According to the Ministry of Health and Labor, the school remains a public shelter even after the town starts to charge for bento meals. Under the Disaster Relief Act, emergency shelters are to be opened for 7 days. It will be 1 year and 5 months since the shelter was opened at the school, well beyond the initial expectation.

同省の担当者は「いつまでも避難所生活でいいとは思っていない。町民が安心して暮らせる住宅や施設に移れるよう、福島県などとも相談したい」としている。

The Ministry official says, "We don't think it's right to have these people in the shelter for such a long time. We would like to consult with Fukushima Prefecture so that the residents can move to houses and facilities where they can live comfortably."

This is a country where they charge the workers in Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant for their meals. So charging the old residents who have nowhere else to go for their meager bento boxes to achieve fairness is just what you expect.

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