This is a bit old, but rereading this news made me feel quite angry personally as well as politically. I am really unable to understand how understand how someone can say something like this, with all its consequences, and still not really care.
Quote:
Japan’s deputy prime minister has told old people to “hurry up and die” to easy the country’s cash crisis.
Taro Aso said pensioners near the end of their life should feel guilty about draining the Government’s health budget and refuse medical treatment.
During a social security reform meeting, Mr Aso, also finance minister, said: “Heaven forbid if you are forced to live on when you want to die.
“I would wake up feeling bad knowing the treatment was all being paid for by the Government.
"The problem won’t be solved unless you let them hurry up and die.”
Mr Aso, 72, said he had written to his family telling them to deny him life-prolonging treatment.
He referred to old patients unable to feed themselves as “tube people” and said it cost “tens of millions of yen” a month to treat one.
In Japan, almost a quarter of the 128 million population is over 60.
Mr Aso later admitted his language had been “inappropriate”.
Taro Aso said pensioners near the end of their life should feel guilty about draining the Government’s health budget and refuse medical treatment.
During a social security reform meeting, Mr Aso, also finance minister, said: “Heaven forbid if you are forced to live on when you want to die.
“I would wake up feeling bad knowing the treatment was all being paid for by the Government.
"The problem won’t be solved unless you let them hurry up and die.”
Mr Aso, 72, said he had written to his family telling them to deny him life-prolonging treatment.
He referred to old patients unable to feed themselves as “tube people” and said it cost “tens of millions of yen” a month to treat one.
In Japan, almost a quarter of the 128 million population is over 60.
Mr Aso later admitted his language had been “inappropriate”.
