Japanese → English transcript

Prime Minister,

you said you would firmly tackle measures against hay fever. According to Panasonic,

the economic

loss caused by hay fever is estimated to be as much as 245 billion yen per day.

With a mere annual premium reduction of 400 yen, or 33 yen per month, hay fever is a

public health issue, an economic issue for our country, and a disease- control

issue that all suffer negative impacts, so I think this kind of system design,

this expansion of the burden for OTC- equivalent drugs, should be stopped.

Prime Minister, what do you say? First, the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare,

Keizo Takemi.( It is fine, I have already heard this.) Yes, well,

among the drugs used for hay fever,

as you pointed out, there are indeed

some that fall under the review of insurance coverage for OTC- equivalent drugs.

And, as I mentioned earlier,

this is, after all, from the standpoint of fairness between those who receive

prescriptions for prescription medicines using insurance and those who

respond with OTC medicines without using insurance, as well as from the standpoint

of curbing the rise in insurance premium burdens mainly for the working generation.

So, while ensuring that necessary consultations are secured,

this measure asks for an additional burden. Furthermore, in implementing this,

we will, for example, consider accommodations for those who medically need it,

and we intend to proceed carefully.( That is enough already.) Mr. Tatsumi.

I would like you to stop wasting time by giving the same answer over and over.

You talk about fairness,

but there are people who simply cannot afford expensive over- the- counter drugs,

and there will definitely be

people who stop treatment even if symptoms remain because of the increased burden.

This increase in burden is not the end of it.

In the policy agreement last December between Nippon Ishin no Kai and the Liberal

Democratic Party, and in the agreement

between the Health Minister and the Finance Minister, it is clearly stated that,

from 2027 onward, the list of target items will be further expanded.

It also includes conducting a review to raise the special co- payment.

Even within Nippon Ishin no Kai’s meetings, it was argued that the bill to raise it

should clearly include the language of a hike. It has also been reported that

opinions like this were raised.

Making things even worse— as a government,

you are raring to do this, aren’t you?

You will subject citizens, who already suffer with tears, runny noses,

and sneezing, to economic hardship as well,

so you should stop removing OTC equivalent drugs from insurance coverage,

With that, I state my position and conclude my questions. That is all.