I am looking forward to participating in the CJF.

One day in the middle of July, I got a letter from a citizen suggesting us how to spend our budget. It was from Ms. Nami Takenaka, chair of Prop Station, a social welfare NPO with a slogan "Making Japan a country where the challenged may become taxpayers" "Challenged" is an American term to call the challenging people with disabilities meaning "the people given challenges by God". "Some critics say Koizumi fever is folly or stupid, but our people are not that fool." It started like this and continued.....

"The Japanese people shall be discouraged if the safety net against nation's
struggle would be the traditional relief subsidiary. The real keyword of the safety net peoples really want is the pride of independence. They need a budget for their independence they can proud of, not for relief". I cherished reading this letter repeatedly as if it was a letter from someone special and kept reading it day and night.

I clearly remember the word of a young mother with her polio child When I was a pediatrician at a hospital. She told me with a resolute attitude when they left the hospital. "Thank you for your efforts saving my child's life. To reciprocate your great efforts I shall bring up my child who will be able to help others although he is physically challenged." I wonder how the child grew up. That young mother's
desire was common to that of Nami Takenaka to make the challenged become taxpayers. That reminds me that Ms. Takenaka is also a mother of a challenged daughter.

Distributing the limited budget we apt to follow the practice and mechanically chop it into pieces. It is understood as the official logic, however, isn't it remote from the practical needs of the people? There are too many relief subsidies, indeed. Among so many demand for "more relief subsidies", how deeply impressive and encouraging the voices for "independence with self -respect" are !

I shall be positively reconsidering our welfare budget and policies for the growing people with disabilities" willing to help others".