Last week, Abe apologized to the family members of leprosy patients on behalf of the government. The second women from the right (or, the woman in the middle) is Harumi Oku, whom I wrote about earlier:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/2769043679835713?__tn__=-R
To the best of my knowledge, Harumi Oku is the only victim pictured here who suffered discrimination in Kumamoto. However, I believe the Naoko Kunimune, of Kumamoto, is among the lawyers sitting in the second row (not visible in this shot). I don’t know all of the details about why the case was heard in Kumamoto. I think one reason is because the historical 2001 ruling, which found the forced internment of Hansen’s disease patients (even after a cure had been found) to be unconstitutional, was rendered in Kumamoto. Perhaps the presence of Ms. Kunimune was another factor.
– Kirk
