生活保護と人権～自死により恋人を失ったお客様からのお手紙 Public assistance and human rights~ Letter from our Client who lost her partner To Suicide

行政書士の三木です。久しぶりのブログ更新です。
Hi, this is Hitomi Miki, a female Gyoseishoshi Lawyer of Hitomi Law Office. It’s been a while since my last blog dated 15 October 2021.

先月は、週間SPA!の２０ページにわたる貧困特集に識者として行政書士の意見を掲載いただき、その後web版の女子SPA!と日刊SPA!さらにYahoo！ニュースでも紹介いただきました。
Last month, Japanese famous magazine SPA! focused on poverty in their featured article with approximately 20 pages long and my opinion as a Gyoseishoshi Lawyer had also been released with them. Several media including Yahoo Japan has also released my interview article.

世の誤解も多い生活保護制度について、正しい情報を大手メディアを通し発信できたことは、日々生活保護行政に携わる街の法律家という立場だけでなく、かつて未婚のシングルマザーとして東京で生活困窮するも生活保護は受けられないと諦め、最低生活を下まわる苦しい貧困生活を経験した当事者としても、嬉しくありがたく感慨深いものでした。
I was so grateful for having that chance to speak out about correct information on Japanese public assistance program and my words widely broadcasted through several major media. I have been dedicated to getting better and figuring out what is better for my customers who are in poverty for my job as a Gyoseishoshi Lawyer, but not only that, I have my own experience that I felt I was left behind by local authority when I was in real poverty about 20 years ago.

母子家庭の世帯年収は低い傾向があり、日本では６人に１人の子どもが貧困状態にあるといわれています。
An average annual income of single mother households is relatively low and you may be shocked to hear that nearly one out of every six children in Japan live in poverty.

経済協力開発機構によれば、２０１８年における１７歳以下の子どものいる家庭の１３．５％が日本国内の等価可処分所得の中央値の半分に満たない状態で、主要国の中でも日本の子どもの貧困率は高いのです。

同じ２０１８年のイギリスの子どもの貧困率：１２．４％
　　　　　　　　カナダの子どもの貧困率：　１１．８％
　　　　　　　　フランスの子どもの貧困率：１１．７％
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Japan has a relatively high child poverty rate among major countries, with 13.5 percent of those aged 17 and younger living in households with incomes lower than half of the national median disposable income as of 2018. The child poverty rate in the same 2018 was 12.4% in Britain, 11.8 % in Canada, 11.7 % in France for instance.

岸田首相はデジタル化社会への移行を推進していますが、その一環として子どもの貧困と虐待を防止する目的で、家庭の経済状況や学力など子どもを取り巻く様々な情報のデータベースを作ることになったようです。
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is promoting the digital transformation of society and as part of that policy, the Japanese government has decided to create a database to store various information about children including family economic conditions and academic abilities in an attempt to prevent child poverty and abuse.

困難に直面した親と子が役所に助けを求めることを躊躇ってしまう背景に、生活保護制度と生活保護受給者に対する世の偏見があるといえます。
The hesitancy of children and parents in seeking assistance from local authorities when they face difficulties comes partly from prejudice toward public assistance and people who are using it.

私は行政書士として生活保護申請だけでなく、あらゆる許認可申請をサポートする立場ではありますが、生活困窮者支援に関しては、申請をしなくても行政支援を受けられる仕組み作りが必要だと考えています。
Although I am a Gyoseishoshi Lawyer, a certified expert authorized to prepare documents to be submitted to a public agency in order to gain license or approval through my extensive expertise backed by my experience, I believe support that does not need to be applied for is needed as many children and parents feel ashamed to ask for public assistance in Japan.

ここからは、ショッキングな内容かもしれませんが、多くの方に真実を知ってもらうことが明日の社会の希望に繋がるというお客様の思いに共感し、行政書士法人ひとみ綜合法務事務所に令和３年１２月１２日に届いた女性のお客様からのお手紙を日英併記でご紹介します。
It may shock you to know the fact, but I’d like to introduce a letter I got on 12th December, 2021 from my female client who lost her boyfriend to suicide both in Japanese/English. She told me that it’s important that real stories are told to help others empathize with survivors of suicide loss and also there is hope and treatment for those who are suffering. 

三木　ひとみ様
Dear Ms. Hitomi Miki Gyoseishoshi Lawyer,

（個人情報にかかわることなので省略）
(Removing Personally Identifiable Information)

SPA!の中の、貧困まんがのページ、とても読みやすかったです。
It was easy to read and understand the cartoons about poverty in SPA!.

私も最近、コロナ禍で、テレビを見る事が多くなりました。今、この時代、コロナになっていなくても、毎日何十人と人は亡くなっています。
It seems like I’m watching a lot more television amid the coronavirus pandemic. Many people are dying everyday but not just from COVID-19.

生活貧困者、病院に行くお金がない方、何度区役所に行っても受け入れてもらえない方。
There are people in poverty and those who can’t afford to go to the hospital, and public assistance has not functioned adequately in Japan and applicants are often turned away from the welfare office.

私は、全員が受けれる様な、国になってほしいと、先日、三木先生にはメールをしたばかりです。
I have just e-mailed Ms. Hitomi Miki Gyoseishoshi Lawyer that I wish everyone should receive public assistance who are eligible for benefits.

若いから働ける？今、重大な病気にかかっているかもしれないです。
Does every young person really work? Well, some of them might be very sick or disabled.

私は昔に、大好きな彼氏が、いました。
I once was romantically involved with a man in the past.

彼は、アルコールに、眠剤。それでも見捨てる事は出来ませんでした。二人で話し合い、精神科に行きました。
He was dependent upon alcohol and sleep medication, but I couldn’t leave him. We talked a lot and he admitted to his problem and to get the necessary help to overcome it by going to the hospital.

私の彼についた病名は、「アルコールてんかん」。私では手に負えなくなった頃、横浜市の区役所に保護をお願いをしに、フラフラした彼と行きました。
The doctor diagnosed his illness as alcohol epilepsy. I realized I couldn’t deal with it so I took him to the welfare office in order to apply for public assistance.

そこでは、話すら聞いてもらえず。週に１回、また次の週に何回かと、頭を下げ、保護お願いしますと、訪れましたがダメでした。
However, as a result of so-called mizugiwa strategy, we were turned away from the welfare office. Although the local government in Yokohama city didn’t even have ears to listen, we had no choice but to visit once in a week and turned away and then, again visit them to beg for help next week.

その頃、ホームぺージを見かけたのが、三木先生の行政書士法人ひとみ綜合法務事務所でした。
Then I found your Gyoseishoshi Office website on Google by chance.

勇気を出し相談！次の日には、もう横浜市の役所に連絡してくれました。
It took quite a lot of courage for me to call you, but you were so kind and quick to call the local government office in Yokohama for us the next day I called you.

先生は、直ぐに訪問に来ない区役所に、怒る事もしてくれました。
You were also depressed by local authorities because they didn’t move at all. You had asked them to visit his house to help him for many times, but they repeatedly said no.

土日をはさみ、私は、彼の様子がおかしくなっている事。そして、私の生活費も底を尽き始めた頃、彼の大学病院の検査二回目の朝、ゆっくり、ねむれている彼を見て、うれしくなりましたが、そのまま天国へ旅立ちました。
I was nervous he would bleed out and die that weekend because he was either in a fugue state or unconscious the whole time. I did care about him deeply, but I was too young to introduce that trauma into my life and I didn’t have enough money to support his life. He was calm of face and that only relieved me but he passed on the next morning, the day I was getting ready to take him to the hospital for second diagnostic tests.

彼は、「アルコールてんかん」お酒が抜けてしまうと、脱水を起こしててんかん発作が出ます。何度も頭を打っていたので、死因は、「硬膜下血腫」難しい病気で、亡くなった時の彼のエコー写真を見ると、三日月型に血が溜まっていました。
There were particular risks associated with drinking alcohol for him with epilepsy. When my boyfriend had a seizure, he cracked his head again and again. After his death, I saw so much blood flowed into a large puddle in his head by ultrasonography.

頭をぶつけたり、誰かに殴られると、脳に血が溜まっていくそうです。息を引き取った後の私の周りには、沢山の警察に囲まれ、沢山の話、頭の中が真っ白な私に、休む事もありませんでした。
I heard when he got hit in the head, brain bruising and bleeding might have occurred. Immediately the police arrived and wanted me to speak about everything I saw. I needed rest but I couldn’t. I was flooded with questions and comments from the police although their questions were standard and they followed protocol.

「司法解剖」します、と。私は何もしていないのに、どうしてこんな目に。ましてや、まだ３０代の若い彼を、国が守ってくれていたら。と、あの頃は、三木先生にも当たってしまっていたかもしれません。
Police told me an autopsy should be carried out to investigate the cause of death. I never thought I’d be personally impacted by suicide. I was feeling I’d rather be dead than live without my loved one. I’m so sorry I might have raised my voice at you.

２日後、事件性ではない為と、警察は電話で伝えてきました。私はその時、本当にしんどく、つらく、ご飯も食べずに何もやる気がありませんでした。
Two days later, the police called me and said there were no signs for crime after the search for the cause. The pain of losing him was unbearable. I couldn’t eat or sleep. I couldn’t get out of bed. The realization that I’ll never be able to hold each other again teared my heart out.

その間、動いてくれたのが三木先生です。最後の病院代、火葬代、全て区役所から出ますと報告をくれましたが、まだ納得が出来ず、いい気持ちにはなれなかったのが、正直な所です。
Everything you did for me was appreciated. Thank you so much for care and attention you gave me. You assured me that the financial aspect is taken care of by the local government , the costs associated with the end of his life including payment for the hospital and cremation costs. However, my heart was still sinking and while mourning a significant loss, fears and anxieties arose.

あの時、もっと早く、病院回りができていたら、手術していたら、生きてさえいてくれたら。今でも思います。
I still fixate on how I failed to save him. I blame myself for not taking him to the hospital early enough. His death was preventable.

病気で悩んで、痛いのに、お金がなくてがまんしてる方はいませんか？
Is there anyone refusing needed care exclusively because of concerns about cost?

生活保護は、恥ずかしいことではありません。生きる為に必要なんです。
If you are having a hard time providing the basics for you or your family (including food, heat or medical care), there is help available in Japan. It’s not same to use those services.

今、コロナ禍で沢山の方々が、自殺もしている日本です。この間、テレビで、れいわ新選組の山本太郎さんも言っていました。「生活保護」を受けて下さいと。
The central government wants us to use public assistance which guarantees the right to existence based on Article 25 of the Constitution of Japan and Taro Yamamoto, the leader of Reiwa Shinsengumi (a political party in Japan) was claiming out loud to receive financial assistance from the authorities.

コロナで仕事がなくなってしまった。死にたいではなく、生きて、やり直しはできます。
Since the coronavirus outbreak and its pandemic, Japanese economy has been sliding into a great depression as the Japanese government implemented indirect suspension of economy without adequate compensation, just asking people to stay home. Consequently, many people lost their jobs or declined lower salaries by their employers.

生きてさえいれば、先を見る事は出来ます。あきらめたら、そこで終わりです。絶対に死んでは、なりません。
Follow your bliss, and you can eventually open doors where there were only walls. You haven’t even seen the world yet. You mustn’t die in vain.

コロナ禍で、困っている方々、病気で働けない方々、生きる為に「生活保護」を受けて下さい。
If you are starving with no money, please apply for public assistance.

いつか、身体が元気になれば、社会でまた働けます。命さえあれば、先に楽しいことが、沢山あります。
I’ve been there. You don’t feel quite so alone. Even if you didn’t actually feel like you were alive, you should continue living because things could get better. Things had been going downhill for a long time for me and I had been suffering with severe anxiety. I experienced a constant feeling of dread in my stomach and tension headaches but I did start to make changes.

私は、今、本当にまともなくらしが出来ています。私の周りも、先生に助けられています。
Getting help from Gyoseishoshi Lawyer, I am now relieved and so my family and friends. Government programs are funded by each and every working Japanese and designed to be used by those same people.

私は強くないので、先生にお願いして、役所に電話して頂いたりして、本当に助けられています。
For the past few years, through help from Gyoseishoshi Lawyer I’ve been fortunate. Hitomi Miki helps me by writing letters or making difficult phone calls on behalf of me.

この手紙が、もし誰かの目についた時、悩んでいる間は時間が過ぎるばかりです。一人じゃないと思い、先生に連絡する事。一歩踏み出してみて下さい！！必ず道は、拓けます。
If you or someone you know needs help, call or email Hitomi Law Office and get in touch with them.

P.S.
寒くなりました。先生も身体には気をつけて下さい。（個人情報に関するため省略）ありがとうございました！！
Kより

Thank you for your assistance in this matter. Cold temperatures are expected to continue over the next couple of months so please remain sensitive to issues of safety. Warm regards,
From K