Report on the Amine Family’s High Court Case

　 This past February 10th, the case of the Iranian Amine family, asking for Special Residence Permission, was concluded. The final court decision will be released on March 30th. The conclusion of their original appeal trial was historical, but now there is no knowing how the high court’s ruling on the country’s appeal will end.
* * *
The Amine family, requesting special residence permission based on the fact that their lives have been established in Japan, went to the high court on January 20th for the appeal to their case. Originally they appealed the demand that they leave Japan, and won in the Tokyo district court, but the country (Japan) has appealed the decision allowing them to stay. Their court battle still continues.
In the case that ruled they have a right to live in Japan, the following was written:
“The family’s oldest daughter has spent over ten years in Japan …and her living practices, thought processes, interests and other social conditionings are all identical to those of her Japanese compatriots. If we compare such factors in both Japan and Iran, we would see that they are not simply just cultural differences, but of a magnitude that could gravely affect the ways in which she has come to see her personality and sense of values.”
“Among the disadvantages to not having residence permission, as observed in the parents, is the fact that there is the constant concern that one must return to one’s country and, secondly, one must live with considerable anxiety over an indefinite period concerning one’s children’s and one’s own acculturation and growth.”
The ruling also states, in regard to the demand that the family leave Japan, “It is entirely possible to evaluate this demand as going against humanitarian considerations.” This is a very reasonable opinion, and the judge’s ruling.
However, Japan is determined to make the family leave, and it appealed the ruling above. As far as what we saw in court on January 20th, it does not seem that the proceedings under the new judge will proceed calmly. The judge seems to be hurrying. Then on February 10th, at its second session, the case was closed. We feel that the ruling may overturn (cancel) the ruling before. That means the Amine family may have to leave.
We cannot let this happen! As the first appeal said, to send the family to Iran would go against humanitarian considerations. If the law is for the purpose of justice, then the court must support the first appeal ruling and save the family.
We are hoping deep in our hearts that the family receives a just and fair ruling so that they may continue their peaceful lives here in Japan.

★在留特別許可
アミネさん一家の控訴審報告

Article Series: Solving Labor Consultations, Part 6
The End of Work Injury Vacation Payments

Tsutomu Tsugawa

　 In many of my labor consultations, people will tell me, “it’s not right that my compensation money is cut”(this is an absolutely valid complaint). In this article I will write about how payment for vacation days from a work injury ends.
People usually complain that it is “not right” because, A) their injury has not healed yet, or, B) they are not yet in good condition to work. These are very valid reasons. However, this reasoning is also partly based on a misunderstanding of the work injury system. The work injury system is made from ideas and structures that only exist in “systems.” (And yes, there are many times where I cannot understand the system or disagree with it.)
First of all, let’s talk about A. The work injury system does not look at whether the injured body part returns to normal; the work injury system looks at “cure-ability.” Cure-ability means finding the point where the body will not heal any more. For example, your finger will only bend to 30 degrees. But, the doctor says that even with more and more rehabilitation your finger will only bend to a 30 degree angle. Therefore the doctor makes the judgement that your injury has reached “cure-ability,” and at this point your payments for work injury vacation will end (and your free medical care will also end) even if your finger does not move well. Then you will be moved to the next step. You will receive disability insurance for a finger that will only move to a 30 degree angle.
Next, we will talk about B. In the work injury system, when the Department of Labor Standards makes a judgement that you can work based on your doctor’s statement, then your work injury vacation payments will end, but your free medical care will continue until your injury reaches cure-ability. So, now what we must think of is - why do they say you can work? They do not judge you ability to work by the job you were doing when you were injured (usually very hard labor), but rather they judge by general work, usually easy labor. In other words, their reasoning is very vague (=aimai).
　Therefore, when you receive compensation payment for a work injury vacation, the two main important points are ”cure-ability” and “ability to work.” Both of these depend very much on your doctor’s opinion, and each doctor will have a different opinion. Therefore, if you think you have a bad (or inconsiderate) doctor, then you should ask to change hospitals as soon as possible.
Also, as you know, APFS’s members are migrant laborers and you can usually only find work in very hard 3K labor. Therefore, even if the doctor says you can work easy labor, you will have the problem of continued unemployment. Most of the people who have a permanent work injury (disability) decide that they cannot find work in Japan, and so they receive disability insurance and return to their country. I want to strongly remind you all that the most important thing about work injuries is-not to have one.
　In reality, your company is responsible for making you safe at your job. However, at 3K companies, many bosses avoid giving work injury insurance to their employees and, furthermore, insult injured employees by saying, “oh, you are so lucky to have an injury when you can get payments for vacations and play!” These bosses are irresponsible and often at their companies there are many cases of work injuries. In particular, I see many people who were injured within their first month at work. These employees do not receive proper explanations of the machinery and company. They are usually made to do very hard work from their first day. Then, when they are injured, the company thinks it is innocent and the employee was wrong. APFS is strongly demanding that the Department of Labor and Welfare “Make employers guide employees’ safety!,” but conditions are still not getting any better.
　Therefore I want you all to remember, only YOU can protect yourself! Even if people scream and yell at you at work, trust your feelings because your body is the MOST important thing you have.

連載　労働相談の解決まで（６）
労災―休業補償の打ち切りについて

津川　勤

　労災に関する相談者から「休業補償支給が打ち切られるのはおかしい」という苦情の声（きわめてまっとうな声）をよく聞きます。今回はこのことについて書きます。

　その際、「おかしい」という理由は、(A)まだケガが治っていない、(B)まだ働ける状態ではない、おもにこの２つです。確かに、きわめてまっとうな理由といえます。しかし、労災制度に対する誤解からくる主張でもあります。労災制度には制度特有の考え方や仕組みがあるのです（私自身、なかなか理解できませんでしたし、理不尽と思う時は多々あります）。

　まず(A)について。労災制度では、ケガをした箇所が元の状態に戻ったかどうかではなく、「治癒(ちゆ)」という考え方を採ります。「治癒」とは、これ以上治療を続けても医学的な効果が期待できなくなった状態（＝症状固定）を意味します。たとえば、指が30度しか曲がらないが、これ以上いくらリハビリを続けても30度以上曲がるのは無理だと医師が判断したといった状態のことです。そして、医師が「治癒」と判断した時点で、働けるかどうかとは無関係に休業補償は打ち切られ（そして労災適用の無料の治療も終了）、次の段階に移ります。つまり、指が30度以上曲がらないという障害に対して障害保障を支給するのです。

　次に(B)について。労災制度では、医師の判断（意見書）に基づいて労働基準監督署がもう働けると判断した時点で休業補償は打ち切られ、治療は「治癒」まで労災が適用されて無料のまま続けられます。さて、ここで問題になるのは、「働けるかどうか」の判断が、ケガをした時点で就いていた仕事（大半は重労働）が可能かどうかではなく、軽作業など一般的な意味で働けるかどうかによることです。つまり、きわめて「あいまいな判断」といえます。

　このように、休業補償が打ち切りられる際の判断のポイントには「治癒」と「労働可能」の２通りがあり、どちらも、医師によってその判断が大きく違ってくる場合があります。ですから、よほどひどい医師に当たった場合は早めに転院したほうがよいということです。

　さて、APFSの会員の外国人労働者の場合、いくら医師から「軽作業なら可能」
と言われても、ほとんどがいわゆる３K労働にしか就けないなかでは、結局のところ失業の窮地に陥らざるをえません。実際、労災で障害を負った相談者の大半は、仕事に就くことは不可能と判断して障害保障を受領後、母国に帰国しています
。ですから、会員の皆さんに声を大にして言いたいのは、労災問題の基本は、いかに労災にあわないか、だということです。

　本来は、法律でも定められているように、事業者には労働者の安全を確保する義務・責任があります。しかし、３Kの職場の現実として、さんざん労災保険加入をしぶったあげく、休業補償について「遊んでいて金もらって、いいよなあ」とのたまうトンデモ社長が数多くいるのです。そのような社長の会社で労災が発生するのは必然でしょう。とくに相談をしていて目につくのは、入社後１ヵ月以内で労災にあうケースです。ろくすっぽ注意する点を説明することなく、入社日からいきなり危険な現場に労働者を投入したと想像せざるをえません。それでケガをしたら知らんぷりです。これが現実です。APFSは厚生労働省に対して「業者への安全指導を徹底せよ」と強く抗議していますが、一向に改善されません。

　ですから、会員のみなさん、自分の身は自分で守るしかないということを肝に銘じてほしいと思います。職場でガミガミ怒鳴られても、自分の体が一番大切なのですから。

The PC Class for Children of Foreign Citizenship has Come to an End

The PC class for children of foreign citizenship, held in 6 sessions starting on June 22nd, came to a successful end on November 30th last year. The purpose of the course was to provide children of foreign citizenship with the proper knowledge and skills concerning computers, necessary for them to live and continue their education in Japan.
The teacher was the person responsible for the maintenance of APFS’s computers, and he also conducts business computers classes from his company. More specifically, the children learned: 1) how to start and shut down the computers, 2) how to use the keyboard (a practice program from the internet was used), 3) how to search for information on the internet using search engines, 4) how to use word programs including current illustration programs, 5) convenient short-cut keys, and 6) using e-mail (each student opened their own hotmail account).
The ages of the students ranged from the first years in elementary school to high school students, and their computers skills varied individually. Also, in addition to the teacher, several volunteers came as class assistants.
Students who had computers at home were asked to practice how to type their names, and other skills, without looking at the keyboard outside of class as well. Some students would come back the next course and show effortlessly the skills they were asked to practice. The teacher himself could not help but be surprised and said that he was truly moved by the motivation of the students.
In order to really use a computer, 6 training courses is not enough. However, through the course objective, we were able to have students at least build an interest in computers and start email exchanges so that they may continue their use.
The students who attended each course to the end received a graduation certificate after their final session. What was unique was that the teacher had each students use their word program and computer illustration skills to make their own graduation certificate. The teacher made the base form and the students entered their names (without looking at the keyboard, of course!) and printed them themselves. By creating their certificates, in addition to earning them, the students all seemed extremely pleased.
We are very grateful for the teacher’s terrific efforts to assist each child, organize the class, and draw out the students’ interest in computers. Also, all the volunteers who gave their support made it possible for us to give the best and finest individual attention. Then, it was the students themselves who showed the greatest proficiency of all, proving our faith in them.
We wish deeply that, upon the opportunity of this course, the students were able to build true interest in computers along with the skills and knowledge necessary to bring them further in life.

「外国籍住民の子どもたちに向けたパソコン教室」が終了

　　2003年６月22日から全６回の課程で実施した「外国籍住民の子どもたちに向けたパソコン教室」が、11月30日に無事、終了しました。講習の目的は、外国籍住民の子どもたちに、これから日本で生活し、仕事をしていくうえで必要不可欠となったパソコンを使いこなすための知識と技術を身につけてもらうことでした。

　講師にはAPFSがパソコンのメンテナンスをお願いしている業者から、企業向けのパソコン講習もされている方を招きました。講習内容は次のとおりです。�@パソコンの立ち上げと終了、�Aキーボードによる入力（インターネット上でキーボード操作の練習ができるWebサイトを使用）、�B検索エンジンを使用したインターネット上の検索、�C画像貼り付け技術も駆使したWordでの文書作成、�D知っていると便利なショートカット・キーの習得、�E自分のＥメール・アドレスをもち（hotmailで各自のＥ メールアドレスを作成）、Ｅメールのやり取りをする。

　講習に参加した生徒の年齢層は、小学校の低学年から高校生に相当する年齢にまでわたり、生徒たちのパソコン技能の習得の程度もまちまちでした。そこで、講師以外にもパソコンに詳しいボランティア数名が助手として講習に参加しました。

　家にパソコンがある生徒には、講習の場だけでなく、家でも自分の名前をブラインドタッチで入力する練習を十分するように講師が指導しました。なかには家で一生懸命に練習して、次の講習時に自分の名前をすばやく入力するところを披露してみせた生徒もました。これには講師の先生も驚かずにはいられなかったようで、その覚えようとする姿勢も含めて「感動した」と感想を述べていました。

　パソコンを十分使いこなせるようになるためには、６回の講習だけではけっして十分とはいえません。そのようななかで、パソコンに興味をもってもらう、自分のＥメールアドレスをもってＥメールのやりとりができるようになる、という講習の目標は、なんとか達成できました。

　最後まで講習に参加して最終目標をクリアできた生徒たちには、講習の修了証書を講師から手渡してもらいました。その際にユニークだったのは、生徒たち自身に、この講習で習得した技術を駆使して修了証書の作成の仕上げをさせたことです。具体的には、終了証書のフォーマットをパソコン・ソフトで講師に作成してもらい、生徒たちは、その修了証書に自分の名前をブラインドタッチで入力し、それをプリンターで出力しました。作成のために自ら手を加えた修了証書を手にすることができ、生徒たちも大満足の様子でした。

　パソコンに関する知識が生徒ごとにまちまちな状況のなかで、講習内容をうまく組み立てたうえで、生徒たちのパソコンへの興味をうまく引き出して講習を上手に運んでいただいた講師に深く感謝します。また、その講師をサポートしていただいたボランティアの方々のおかげで、生徒一人ひとりに極力きめ細かく対応することもできました。そして、生徒たちも総じて吸収が早く、舌をまかずにはいられませんでした。

　この講習をきっかけに、生徒たちがよりパソコンに興味をもち、自分で積極的にパソコンの知識と技術を習得して、それらを駆使していろいろなことができるようになることを願って止みません。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　（白取　芳樹）

ASIAN PEOPLE'S FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY(APFS)