Section 2 Compensation Systems for Crime Victims, etc.

1 Crime victim benefits system

In accordance with the Act on Support for Crime Victims, etc. Such as Payment of Crime Victims Benefit (Act No. 36 of 1980; the title of the Act before July 1, 2008 was the Act on Payment of Crime Victims Benefit), the government pays crime victim benefits to the bereaved families of persons killed in criminal acts and also to victims that have been seriously injured or disabled. In consideration of the Basic Act on Crime Victims and the Basic Plan for Crime Victims, the requirements for providing benefits for seriously injured crime victims were then relaxed, the period for the benefit provision extended, and the restriction on the benefit provision relating to crimes committed against relatives relaxed in April 2006. In addition, the system was further enhanced by providing additional amounts of benefits to seriously injured crime victims taking into consideration any damage due to suspension of their businesses, and the amount of benefits was raised for anyone with a severe disability (grade 1 to 3) and the bereaved families of the main householder from July 2008, and the benefit system for victims of spousal violence reviewed in October 2009 (See Appendix 5-1 for the status with application/payment of crime victim benefits).