Request for the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to strengthen the appraisal system

As the identity of the remains of the dead of the war lost in the Battle of Okinawa has not been identified, representatives of organizations collecting ashes in Okinawa exchanged opinions with the staff of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, and established a base for appraisal in Okinawa. And strengthened the system.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has been conducting DNA tests on the remains of the war dead in Okinawa, not only for the people of the former Japanese army, but also for the bereaved families of residents, but so far only five people have been identified. I'm staying.

On the 21st, opinions were exchanged at the lower house of the Diet in Tokyo, and representatives of organizations collecting ashes in Okinawa handed over the request.

According to this, the current DNA appraisal system is considered to be inadequate, and the appraisal work that has been distributed among 12 universities nationwide will be changed to a system centered on Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate School, and the appraisal target will be Pacific Ocean. We are seeking to extend it to local survivors.

A participant complained that "Okinawa also has world-class scholars and wants to cooperate with the appraisal. We do not want the bereaved to waste a piece of bone," a Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare official said. I want to consider it. "

In addition, it was revealed that collection of specimens of approximately 700 ashes left by Okinawa Prefecture, which was newly assessed last year, will be completed by the end of March and DNA extraction will begin in April. I did it.