Tokyo gov't to give aid to protect elderly welfare recipients from heatstroke (JAPAN)

[AsahinaKimi]

The Tokyo metropolitan government on July 29 announced an emergency program to provide elderly people on welfare with up to 40,000 yen to purchase air conditioners and other cooling equipment to protect them from heatstroke, effective Aug. 1.

Metropolitan government officials said the program is the first of its kind in Japan and is intended to prevent elderly welfare recipients from falling ill due to hot weather as the country tries to limit air conditioner use to save electricity because of diminished power supplies. The officials said about 700 households are eligible to apply for the emergency aid program.

Under the program, elderly welfare recipients over the age of 65 will be able to receive up to 40,000 yen to buy cooling equipment if they do not already have them and they have a certificate from doctors certifying the equipment's need.

Previously, on July 19, the Public Assistant Act was revised to allow households on welfare that had additional income such as pensions to borrow money to buy cooling devices, but households living only on welfare were excluded.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110730p2a00m0na007000c.html

**Republicans would never let this happen here..

[sunwyn]

1. Here repubs would tell them to turn on there heat.