[Full text published] A bereaved family wrote a year before the clinic arson incident

Two relatives of the victims wrote to the press shortly before the one year anniversary of the 26 people involved in the arson that killed a clinic in an Osaka building.

He writes that he still has not accepted the reality, and appeals to the fact that the government does not provide enough support to the bereaved families of crime victims.

In December last year, a psychosomatic medicine clinic in a building in Kita-ku, Osaka was set on fire, and 26 patients and staff were involved and died.

Just before one year has passed since the incident, an organization that supports the bereaved families of the victims has released the memoirs of two bereaved families.

"Government and administration, think seriously"

This is the full text of the memoirs of a woman who lost her husband.

A year has passed since that incident.

When she had her first children's sports day without her husband.

When I saw the children working hard, I was the only one who cried tears unlike the other families, looked up at the sky and said to myself, "I wonder if they are watching together."

Every night, I talk to the Buddhist altar and cry when there is no reply.

Over the past year, I've been forced to realize that "he's not here" will always be the shape of our family, such as family birthdays and children's events, where he should have been. It was a stack.

And I was worried that the 17th of every month would come.

I am relieved that the day of the 17th will pass safely.

I don't know how long this cycle will last.

　On the day of the incident, when I met the body, the police told me that there was support for crime victims and bereaved families, and that there were benefits, along with a pamphlet. When I found out, I was in a panic of despair and sadness, and it was a moment when a small light shone in my heart, which was full of anxiety because I had to raise my child alone.

　However, in reality, immediately after that, unexpected expenses such as the cost of the autopsy of the body, the cost of transporting the body, the preparation of the funeral, etc. came in one after another.

Why should the injured party bear the cost?

Even though we are victims, is it our own fault that we were killed?

I thought it was very unreasonable.

And what made it even worse was the standard for calculating the benefits for crime victims.

In order to live in this society, we cannot avoid money problems.

The perpetrator died, and we had nowhere to claim compensation for damages. When I called to inquire about the benefit application, I was told that the calculated amount of the benefit would change depending on my income at the time of the incident, and that I was ill at the time. I was really shocked when I heard that the calculation of the benefits for my husband who was away from work would be based on "unemployed".

My husband and the people who participated in the rework program with me at that time were all working hard with the goal of overcoming dismissal and retirement due to illness and returning to work.

For the bereaved family who supported it, the value of her husband's life was measured by the "income" at the moment of the damage, and it seemed that the value of your family's life was light. rice field.

Benefits for crime victims, etc. are support for the "future" of victims and bereaved families, so that they can live a peaceful life again if it is in accordance with the principles of the law.

So why is it that the benefits, which should be granted in the future, are calculated based on the victim's "past", especially "income"?

After that, I met with the Association for Compensation for Crime Victims.

In April, I went to Tokyo, where I had the opportunity to meet with the Ministry of Justice and the National Police Agency, as well as the former Minister of Justice, Yoko Kamikawa.

However, the Ministry of Justice and the National Police Agency have not provided answers that are close to the reality and suffering of the victims, and the current situation has not changed at all.

　It wasn't until I became a victim of crime that I realized firsthand what kind of harsh situation the victim was in.

Problems in calculation of benefits, many provisions for reduction of benefits, high hurdles that victims must raise their hands and apply for victim support, difficult systems, legal terms, application documents I don't think that the complexity of this is something that is close to the victims who are struggling to survive under difficult circumstances.

I also learned about the disparity in support provided by local governments.

In my prefecture, there is no ordinance for crime victim support yet.

Also, regarding the victims of other cases, there are many perpetrators who ignore damage compensation orders and do not pay compensation, and the harsh reality is that they have to pay for the court costs to continue to sue. I also found out

I also learned that if the perpetrator does not have the ability to pay, the damage compensation order is nothing more than a piece of cake, and the victim is forced to give up.

　As time passes, the light of "support" that was visible at the police station at the time of the incident becomes more and more murky.

And now, a completely different scenery is spreading in front of me.

Unfortunately, many victims of crime feel that they are being neglected or ignored.

And I was shocked to realize that people who had fallen into the position of crime victims had been neglected in such a situation long before I became a person involved.

What should be done so that the word "get close" to the government and administration does not end with just words?

I want you to think about it seriously.

And everyone in the world can be a victim anytime, anywhere.

I would like each of you to think, "If I were in that position."

　I regret that our lives have been changed by the incident, so even if I am worried about the financial situation, I will continue to live with my child in this house where his presence remains. This is our pride.

And I think that it is one of the memorial services to work on society while being aware of what I realized after his death and the awareness of the problems I felt.

I want many people to know the current situation of crime victims.

I want people who are in a position to operate the system to know what kind of support the people involved are looking for.

Also, in order to create a society where people like that perpetrator are not born, I hope that many people will see it as a matter of course.

I believe that society will change if each person's perspective changes.

And if I can leave even one thing better than now, I think that there may be traces of his life there.

To the media,

　as I wrote in my comments in February of this year, it is difficult for bereaved family members to see reports of the victims' real names and articles about the incident that remain on the Internet forever. It's a lot of stress.

In addition, immediately after the incident, I pressed the chime of my home and asked for an interview, and the neighbors were also interviewed. It caused anguish and media distrust.

We, the bereaved families of this case, heard at the police station where we met the body, "Everyone says they don't want the real name to be reported."

Of course, I also asked the police station not to report my real name.

However, that wish did not reach the media.

　People who are said to be "victims" are born almost every day, such as crimes and disasters.

I can understand the purpose and sense of mission of the press to prevent the incident from being forgotten and to prevent such an incident from happening again. If you don't let people talk about pain, sorrow and hatred, will you be able to fulfill your mission and purpose?

Is it necessary for journalists, who have doubts and conflicts about being forced to use such reporting methods, to put a lid on their emotions and ring the chime at the victim's house?

How would you feel if you or your family were in the position of a victim?

Also, although it should not happen, if you become the victim of some kind of accident or incident and it is reported in the media, you will not be able to read the article while you are hurt and even after you die. continues to float around the net.

Once released, it continues to spread.

And that fact will continue to hurt the bereaved families, children and grandchildren who could not understand it at the time of the accident or incident but grew up to understand it.

We are not just victims of accidents and incidents.

With regard to the meaning and nature of reporting, the time has come to reconsider the importance of protecting the human rights and feelings of the victims and the dignity of the deceased, and to listen to the voices of the people on the frontlines of the press. ,I think.

"Unable to accept reality"

This is the full memoir of another woman who lost her husband.

Almost a year has passed since that day.

On that day, suddenly, really suddenly, the person who was most important to us was taken away.

My life and the future I envisioned were all stolen from me by a total stranger.

December 17th is a date that really makes you wonder why this day.

A week before Christmas, two weeks before New Year's Eve, and all the talk about "let's do this for Christmas, let's go here for the year-end and New Year holidays" is gone.

I really can't forgive the criminal who suddenly took everything away from us that day.

It doesn't change even now that the killer is dead.

I don't understand why they let such criminals out into the world.

More to the point, I feel a sense of resentment towards the perpetrator's relatives.

I can't help but hate it when I think that if I say it's nothing to do with it and I'm living a normal life now, if I'm laughing and spending my daily life.

I hope you are suffering as much as we are.

I don't have the brunt of my hatred because the culprit who should otherwise be hated is already dead.

This year has gone by so fast.

I survived with the help of many people.

Following her husband, she survived the urge to die.

That's because there were more people around her than she could have imagined to help her out.

But my beloved husband is no longer in this world.

The most important person in the world is nowhere to be found.

Do you ever feel so hopeless?

It was a normal life like any other.

I wanted to grow old together and die a day earlier than her husband.

She didn't want to live in a world without her husband.

No one takes my hand anymore.

From now on, there is no one to lean on.

I lost my life partner and my son lost his beloved father.

The child is still young, and even though she knows that she is "Daddy" by looking at her father's photos and videos, I don't think she understands why she is gone now.

Because she is young, she will forget more and more memories with her father.

Maybe you don't remember it anymore.

Her father may only be in her photos and videos.

I really miss it and am sad.

A loving husband who loved us so much.

He loved his children more than anyone else.

I'm not here anymore.

Because of that selfish man, he is no more.

If I don't go to that place on that day, if I change it to the next week, if I arrive at a different time on that day, I

still have thoughts running through my mind.

Why was it that time on that day?

I have regrets, and I can't forgive the culprit.

If I had to die, I wanted to die alone and quietly.

I wish he had just burned to death in his own home.

I want to go back to that day and punch the criminal before he got to the building.

How many times have you killed a criminal in your head?

That's how I got here.

Otherwise, I might not have been able to keep my sanity.

It may be honestly good that the child is small and it still takes a lot of work.

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, I was able to forget my hatred and helplessness even momentarily.

I felt that incidents like KyoAni were like fiction on TV.

I never thought that I would become a victim of crime.

It's been almost a year now and it still doesn't feel real.

It's too unrealistic, and I still can't accept the reality of what happened to

me.

But after all, when I write it down like this, I remember that day vividly, and I cry.

Your throat and nose become hot.

If possible, I would like to go back a year ago.

I know I can't go back in time, but I want it back.

I want to live in my dreams.

I wish I didn't wake up.

My time stopped on that day.

I am still trapped in that day.

I should have spent my time as usual and returned home as usual that day.

The clothes in her husband's closet, the shoes in her shoe cupboard, and even the shampoo and toothbrush she used to use are all the same.

I still have a lot of things in my house that day.

I want to go back to those happy days.

I want it back.

Dead people don't come back to life.

I know.

Even so, I want the years to pass as soon as possible, and I want to see you soon.

I hope that time will come.

After that incident, journalists often came to interview us.

Until I requested a lawyer, I received sudden visits and letters in my mailbox almost every day.

Among them, there was something that severely pierced my heart.

It contained a copy of the article on the incident.

A letter from a reporter who wanted to interview was also included.

Who would want to see such an article?

Even though I couldn't watch the news at that time, I tried not to put unnecessary information.

A thick envelope contained a copy of an article written about the incident.

Back then I just broke down in tears, but now I'd like to ask how you were able to do that.

Are you really the same person?

Do you have blood?

When you work as a reporter, do you leave something important as a person somewhere?

There is only the impression that it is really impossible.

Of course, there were also journalists who wrote heart-touching letters.

If it is that person, I would like to receive an interview.

However, it still feels like a fantasy and has no sense of reality, and I can't express it well in words.

I feel like my feelings have been sorted out just a little bit by putting them into words this time.

Even after a year, it's still not sorted out.

I don't know how many years it will take.

You may not be able to sort it out until you die.

It may still be difficult to convey to someone in words.

I understand that I have no choice but to request an interview because of my work, but until I have calmed down a little more, please refrain from sudden visits or direct letters that do not go through a lawyer.