孤独・孤立対策推進法が成立　国、自治体で支援強化

　社会で孤独を抱える人や孤立する人を支援するための「孤独・孤立対策推進法」が３１日、参院本会議で可決、成立した。内閣府に首相を本部長とする対策推進本部を設置するほか、対策の指針となる重点計画の作成を法定化。自治体と連携し支援の強化を図る。来年４月１日に施行される。
　推進法は、孤独・孤立問題について「社会全体の課題」と明記。自治体に対し、支援団体で構成する地域協議会を設置する努力義務を課す。自治体は支援が必要な人の個人情報を構成団体に提供する一方、秘密保持を義務付ける。違反した場合は１年以下の拘禁刑または５０万円以下の罰金を科す。（2023/05/31-10:19）

Japan's Diet, or parliament, on Wednesday enacted into law a bill to promote measures for supporting people in social isolation and loneliness.
   The bill was approved at the day's plenary meeting of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet. It cleared the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, in late April.
   The legislation, to be put into effect on April 1 next year, calls for creating a task force headed by the prime minister for the implementation of countermeasures at the Cabinet Office while requiring the government to formulate a priority policy that will serve as guidelines for such measures.
   Based on the law, the state will cooperate with local governments to tackle social isolation and loneliness.
   Calling social isolation and loneliness "an issue for the entire society," the legislation obliges local governments to make efforts to set up regional councils made up of groups offering aid to people suffering the problem.