Ministry of Defense Civilian Car Accident Victim Guidelines

"The Ministry of Defense has revealed basic guidelines for compensating civilian victims of car accidents involving Self-Defense Forces' and U.S. military vehicles on duty.The guidelines -- titled "Ministry of Defense Directives Regarding Compensation for Damages" -- were revealed after an information request filed by attorney Shinsuke Nakamura. According to Nakamura, the compensation amounts are in line with amounts provided under civilian mandatory vehicle liability insurance, but fall well below compensation levels for accidents between civilian vehicles only.[ad#468x60-ad] Self-Defense Forces and U.S. military vehicles are classified as "weapons," and under the law governing automobile accident compensation they do not have to be covered by personal liability insurance. As such, the Defense Ministry has been offering accident victims compensation based on the directives, and more than half of accident cases involving civilians have been resolved using this standard, says Nakamura.According to the materials disclosed, in cases of death in a traffic accident, the next of kin will receive a maximum of 13 million yen, while those who suffer residual effects from an accident may receive up to 18 million yen. However, according to a Japan Federation of Bar Associations paper on past legal settlements and basic compensation calculation standards for automobile accidents, the maximum restitution in cases of death or lasting injury stands at 28 million yen. This standard is apparently also applicable to civilian cases settled out of court."The compensation set out in the directives is on the same standard as the compensation guarantee law," the Defense Ministry has stated. "The directives do not set an upper limit for the total of restitution, medical care and compensation for lost income, and we are paying appropriate amounts."Click here for article in Japanese. [Source: Mainichi Shimbun][ad]