Implementation of appropriate accident compensation
The Workers' Compensation Department is making efforts to make prompt and adequate payment of insurance benefits to those who have unfortunately met with industrial accidents or their bereaved families under the employees' accident compensation insurance system.
The department is also carrying out a series of measures designed to realize the early social rehabilitation of industrial accident victims and to provide nursing care for seriously injured persons.
Aim of industrial accident compensation insurance
To give prompt and fair protection against the injury, disease, disorder and death resulting from on-the-job accidents or those encountered during commuting, the industrial accident compensation insurance is aimed at providing necessary insurance benefits, promoting the social rehabilitation of industrial accident victims, giving support to such victims and their bereaved families, and ensuring proper working conditions, thereby contributing to the improvement of workers' welfare.
Application of industrial accident compensation insurance
The industrial accident compensation insurance principally applies to businesses that have employees in Japan (applicable businesses) and insurance benefits are paid to workers at the applicable businesses who have suffered on-the-job accidents.
Moreover, a special system is established to permit small and medium business owners, the self-employed who do not have employees and workers assigned to overseas jobs, to join the insurance scheme.
Insurance benefits are classified into the following categories:
| (1) Medical compensation (payment of medical benefit) | ...... | Benefit for medical treatment (benefit in kind) or payment for medical expenses | |
| (2) Compensation for suspension of business (benefit for business suspension) | ...... | Basic amount of benefit per day (equivalent to 60 percent of average wages in principle. Ditto) | |
| (3) Compensation pension for the sick and wounded (pension for the sick and wounded | ...... | Equivalent to the basic amount of benefit per day x 313 - 245 days | |
| (4) Compensation for disorder (benefits for disorder) | ...... | A lump sum payment equivalent to the basic amount of benefit per day x 313 - 131 days or x 503 - 56 days | |
| (5) Compensation for bereaved families (benefits for bereaved families) | ...... | Pension equivalent to basic amount of benefit per day x 245 - 153 days or temporary payment equivalent to basic amount of benefit per day x 1,000 days | |
| (6) Funeral expenses (payment of funeral expenses) | ...... |  315,000 + the basic amount of benefit per day x 30 days or the basic amount of benefit per day x 60 days, whichever greater |
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| (7) Compensation for nursing care (payment of nursing care benefit) | ...... | Actual nursing care expenses incurred (up to the upper limit) or payment of a fixed amount across the board (the upper limit applies to insurance benefits for accidents that that have occurred during commutation) |
Labour Welfare Services
The Workers' Compensation Department performs the following services:
| (1) Promotion of workers' social rehabilitation | ...... | Establishment and operation of hospitals for work-related accidents (39 places) |
| (2) Support to victims of industrial accidents | ...... | Payment of special benefits and allowances to help the victims with school expenses for their children and other needs |
| (3) Safety and health promotion | ...... | Implementation of industrial accident prevention measures, promotion of industrial medical science, etc |
| (4) Work to ensure good working conditions | ...... | Payment of unpaid wages to employees on behalf of employers, etc |