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Fukuoka High Court Settlement Expands Hepatitis B Relief to Re-Recurrence Patients

The deal resolves a dispute over when the 20-year exclusion period begins for chronic hepatitis claims.

Overview

  • Nationwide plaintiffs and the Japanese government reached a settlement on January 15 in an appeal at the Fukuoka High Court.
  • Eligibility for state compensation now extends to chronic hepatitis B patients who suffer repeated re-recurrence after infections linked to reused syringes in mass vaccinations.
  • About 160 people with ongoing cases are expected to receive relief under the agreement.
  • A 2021 Supreme Court ruling set the statute start at recurrence for recurrent-type patients, and the state had not applied that timing to re-recurrence cases until this settlement.
  • Reports did not specify compensation amounts or outline implementation details for the expanded relief.