On July 26, while the opposition parties boycotted the plenary session of the House of Councilors in protest, the government and ruling parties adopted a "partial amendment law of the Health Insurance Law, etc" and the law was enacted. RENGO released a statement that day criticizing "the way that the ruling parties ignored the national opposition is nothing but an outrage." RENGO will continue to seek radical reform for a patient/citizen-oriented medical care system.

The ruling parties ignored opposition from many citizens as well as demands by the opposition parties for continued deliberation. Their behavior in adopting and enacting this "revised" Act of the Health Insurance Law is nothing but an outrage and a flagrant denial of democracy.

The government and the ruling parties in the deliberations at the House of Councilors were preoccupied with placing more burdens on the people and not with clarifying any concrete contents in a radical reform of the medical care system. Nor did they try to analyze or alter any of the real problems facing a Japanese medical care system that neglects its patients or a malpractice cover-up at Tokyo Women's Medical University and an intermediary scandal regarding backdoor entry at Teikyo University.

Furthermore, the ruling parties declined the opposition parties' request to hold public hearing in local regions. In addition, they railroaded the resolution through at the Committee of Health, Welfare and Labour and adopted the bill at a plenary session with only the majority parties in attendance. These acts are an unforgivable subversion of democracy.

RENGO has come up with various mass actions in cooperation with union members of affiliated organizations and local RENGO and their families, including 7.9 million people signature drive, street actions and rallies, protest sit-ins at the Diet, and observing committee sessions.

RENGO will continue in the future to gather strength for a safe and reliable medical care system for the people and union members. We will further fortify cooperation with the opposition parties to realize radical reform for patient/citizen-oriented medical care system at any cost.