Most hibakusha were denied public assistance, which often compounded serious physical aftereffects with painful economic deprivation. Reacting to the 1954 exposure of Japanese citizens to a hydrogen bomb test in the Bikini Islands, the Japanese government in 1957 enacted the A-bomb Medical Law, which provided for hibakusha to receive medical care at the government's expense. To provide economic support, the government enacted the A-bomb Survivors Special Measures Law in 1968. These laws were integrated in December 1994 with the enactment of the Law Pertaining to the Support of the Atomic Bomb Survivors, which went into effect in July 1995, the 50th anniversary of the atomic bombings. The preamble of the law expresses the desire for lasting peace to prevent a recurrence of these tragedies, and states that the Japanese government is responsible for comprehensive assistance (health, medical care, and welfare) to the hibakusha. The Law Pertaining to the Support of the Atomic Bomb Survivors increased the scope of governmental assistance compared to that offered under the two previous laws.
Still, foreign hibakusha who returned to their own countries after the atomic bombings and Japanese hibakusha who emigrated were unable to receive public assistance except while in Japan. More than 60 years later, the issue of assisting hibakusha living in other countries remains unresolved. Therefore, when the Osaka District Court determined on June 1, 2001 that "Hibakusha who do not reside in Japan are eligible for governmental assistance," the Japanese government set up a Committee to Study the Situation of Hibakusha Residing Overseas. Proceeding on the premise that the government was obligated to assist hibakusha living overseas, the committee stated in its report issued in December of that year that the government should take appropriate measures immediately. In response, on June 1, 2002, the government established the Project to Help Hibakusha Residing Overseas Come to Japan. The project included issuing A-bomb Health Books to hibakusha residing overseas, covering the expenses of their travel to Japan, health exams and consultations in their country of residence, and more.
On December 18, 2002, the national government accepted the decision of the Osaka High Court, which upheld the decision of the Osaka District Court regarding the cut-off of health management. Starting on March 1, 2003, overseas-resident hibakusha who have obtained A-bomb Health Books in Japan and are recognized as eligible for health care assistance may continue to receive this assistance even after returning to their countries of residence. In October 2004, a system was established to subsidize health care for overseas hibakusha in their countries of residence.
In addition, the requirement to come to Japan to apply for assistance was challenged on September 28, 2004, when the Nagasaki District Court determined that overseas hibakusha could apply for and receive financial assistance without coming to Japan. In 2005, similar decisions were handed down by the Hiroshima District Court on May 10, and the Fukuoka High Court on September 26. On October 7, the national government indicated that it would accept the decision of the Fukuoka High Court and accept applications for all forms of assistance from overseas hibakusha through Japanese diplomatic offices in their countries of residence. Hiroshima City is continuing to ask the national government to improve the system further to allow overseas hibakusha to apply for Health Books without coming to Japan.
"Black rain areas" refers to areas northwest of Hiroshima city where black rain fell. Some of these areas were designated "special health examination areas" in September 1976, but other affected areas have yet to receive this designation. Based on justifiable radiation-related anxiety stemming from survivors' exposure to black rain, Hiroshima City is asking the national government to make all areas where black rain fell "special health examination areas" in order to expand eligibility for assistance. Hiroshima City will continue doing what it can to improve assistance to all hibakusha.