Setagaya Ward, Tokyo has introduced a unique system for the bereaved families of same-sex partners as a special measure of the National Health Insurance that allows the bereaved families of people who died from the new coronavirus to receive benefits.
The national government has established special measures to receive "injury and illness allowances" when non-regular employees who are enrolled in the National Health Insurance are infected with the new coronavirus and cannot work and cannot get salaries.
If a subscriber dies, the bereaved family will receive an allowance instead, but the national system does not cover homosexual partners.
For this reason, Setagaya Ward has set up its own system and decided to pay the survivors of same-sex partners an amount equivalent to the allowance, and started operation in February.
Those who meet certain requirements, such as living together in the ward and living together, are eligible.
Six years ago, Setagaya Ward introduced a partnership system that recognizes same-sex couples as "a relationship equivalent to marriage" ahead of the rest of the country, and three years ago, it included aiming for a society without discrimination based on sexual orientation. The ordinance is in force.
Setagaya Ward says, "In an effort based on the ward's ordinance, we would like to make efforts to gradually expand the treatment of same-sex partners in the same way as spouses of the opposite sex."
Expert "A big step to guarantee rights as a country"
Makiko Terahara, who is familiar with the rights of same-sex couples, said, "The introduction of the same-sex partnership system has progressed dramatically in local governments nationwide, and same-sex couples have become known to many people. The current situation is that such rights and interests do not come automatically. Under such circumstances, granting specific rights this time is significant even if the number of people who use the system is limited, and it is a big step. I point out.
On top of that, "It is expected that such movements will spread in other local governments as well as Setagaya Ward, but on the other hand, many of the social security and tax systems are under the jurisdiction of the national government, and there is a limit to what each local government can do in the future. The national government should also promote the guarantee of the rights of same-sex partners. "