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by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 30, 2023 Number of comments0
Japan Paralympics Prosthetics Prosthetics

Kids in Brazil Try On Japan-Developed Prosthetic Legs at Event

Physically unimpaired children and others in Sao Paulo had an experience of wearing prosthetic legs developed by a Japanese company at a trial session held at Japan House, a Japanese government-run public relations hub, in the Brazilian city on Saturday. The session, held along with a related workshop, was organized by Ken Endo, CEO of the Tokyo-based prosthetic leg developer and manufacturer, Xiborg.

Endo, 44, a leading expert on the development of prosthetic legs for athletes, is on a weeklong visit to Sao Paulo, meeting with officials of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee as well as Paralympians and children with disabilities in the South American country.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 27, 2023 Number of comments0
Coronavirus COVID-19 Japan

Japan decides to ease medical rules on COVID-19 on May 8 says PM Kishida

Japan formally decided Friday to downgrade the legal status of the novel coronavirus on May 8 to the same category as common infectious diseases, such as seasonal influenza, to ease COVID-19 prevention rules, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said.

Japan formally decided Friday to downgrade the legal status of the novel coronavirus on May 8 to the same category as common infectious diseases, such as seasonal influenza, to ease COVID-19 prevention rules, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 27, 2023 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Podcast Technology

Microsoft 365 Outage & Disability News in Japan Getting ‘Lost in Translation’

When Japanese news outlets reported the problems with software like Microsoft Teams, they used the term “障害”, and since the same term is often used to refer to a news story about disability issues, it was difficult to find news about people with disabilities in Japan, as any Google search with the term “障害”only returned results to do with the Microsoft 365 outage.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 26, 2023 Number of comments0
Disability Employment Japan Podcast

Disability News Japan Podcast: After a Snowstorm in Japan & Fukushima’s Disability Employment Rate Woes

The rate of employment of people with disabilities, which companies are obliged to increase the employment of people with disabilities, reached the highest level in the prefecture last year, but nearly 30% of companies do not employ even one person, NHK found out in a summary by the Fukushima labor bureau.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 26, 2023 1
Disability Employment Japan

Rate of employment of people with disabilities in Fukushima at its highest despite nearly 30% of companies not employing any disabled

According to the Fukushima Labor Bureau, as of June 1, last year, the employment rate of target companies in the prefecture was 2.19% as a whole, an increase of 0.04 points from the previous year, the highest ever. It was 0.06 points below the average of 2.25%.

Only 825 companies, or 54.3% of the target companies, achieved the legal employment rate of 2.3%, which is required by law for private companies.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 23, 2023 1
Disability Forced Sterilization Japan Kumamoto

Kumamoto Court Orders National Japanese Government to Pay Damages over Forced Sterilization

A southwestern Japan court ordered the national government on Monday to pay a total of 22 million yen in damages over the forced sterilization of two people under the now-defunct eugenic protection law.

Kumamoto District Court, presided over by Judge Yuichiro Nakatsuji, found that the law was unconstitutional, and denied the application to the case of the 20-year statute of limitations on compensation claims.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 23, 2023 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Para Sports Paralympics Podcast

Disability News Japan Podcast: Japan’s Shingo Kunieda, World Number One Wheelchair Tennis Player Retires

The 38-year-old Kunieda, a winner of 28 Grand Slam titles and three Paralympic gold medals in the men’s singles, retired while at the top of the world rankings.

He won his third Paralympic gold in Tokyo in 2021 and completed his career Grand Slam by winning Wimbledon last year. He also won 22 Grand Slam doubles titles.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 21, 2023 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Japan Podcast Travel

Will the relaxed rules regarding e-scooters in Japan also apply to mobility scooters? | 日本でのeスクーターに関する規制緩和は、モビリティスクーターにも適用されるのでしょうか？

When preparing for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Japan Railways (JR), based on guidance from Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport required that when at JR stations, mobility scooters:

“move at a speed no more than 2km/h and follow the instructions and warnings of the train attendant, and do not use routes other than the ones specified.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 21, 2023 Number of comments0
Abuse Care Japan Sexual abuse

Kanagawa Man, 53, Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Mentally Disabled Woman Confesses Charges to Police

In October last year, prefectural police arrested a 53-year-old man for sexually assaulting a mentally disabled woman at a hotel in Asahi-ku, Yokohama.

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of quasi-forcible sexual intercourse is a company employee living in Sobudai, Zama City. At the time, the suspect was a staff member of a continuous employment support facility in the prefecture, and the woman was using the facility.

The suspect has reportedly admitted to the charges to the police, saying, “there is no doubt.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 19, 2023 Number of comments0
Disability Employment Japan Podcast

Disability News Japan Podcast: Japan to Raise Required Employment Rate for People with Disabilities to 2.7% (Kind of)

A Japanese labor ministry panel will propose to boost the legally required employment rate for disabled people at companies to 2.7 pct from 2.3 pct at present, it was learned Wednesday 18th January.

The panel plans to propose keeping the required employment rate unchanged at 2.3 pct in fiscal 2023 starting in April and raising the rate in stages to 2.5 pct in fiscal 2024 and 2.7 pct in fiscal 2026.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 18, 2023 1
Disability Employment Japan

Japan to Raise Required Employment Rate for Disabled to 2.7 Pct

A Japanese labor ministry panel will propose to boost the legally required employment rate for disabled people at companies to 2.7 pct from 2.3 pct at present, it was learned Wednesday.

With an aim to secure more opportunities to work for people with disabilities, a subcommittee of the Labor Policy Council, which advises the labor minister, discussed at a meeting the same day plans to revise related regulations after deciding on details of the employment rate hike proposal.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 14, 2023 1
Japan Sexual abuse Blind

Male JR East station staff attendant allegedly made numerous sexually explicit comments towards visually impaired woman

According to the JR East Metropolitan Area Headquarters, between around October last year and January this year, a male station staff member asked a visually impaired woman using the station, “I’d give you a piggy-back ride” and “Isn’t your chest heavy? Do you want me to carry you?” and other comments. After asking the woman what time she would be home, he invited her out to dinner and said he would go to her house.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 10, 2023 Number of comments0
Abuse Care Disability Intellectual disabilities Japan Podcast

Disability News Japan Podcast: Alleged Kagoshima Care Home Abuse (Update)

According to the corporation’s investigation, in the lock-in incident, a staff member took one of the residents to his room, locked the door and prevented him from leaving for approximately four hours. The staff member is said to have explained that he was trying to protect other users because they had become violent inside the facility,

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 10, 2023 1
Abuse Care Disability Intellectual disabilities Japan

Kagoshima Care Home Corporation Confined Intellectually Disabled People for Four Hours

According to the corporation’s investigation, in the lock-in incident, a staff member took one of the residents to his room, locked the door and prevented him from leaving for approximately four hours. The staff member is said to have explained that he was trying to protect other users because they had become violent inside the facility, but he was not given lunch during that time, and the corporation says, “It was an inappropriate response. The corporation states that “there was a lack of education for the staff”.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 8, 2023 Number of comments0
Abilympics Disability Employment Japan

“Hiroshima Abilympics” held, people with disabilities compete in customer service and cleaning skills

Yoshihide Sasaki, head of the Hiroshima branch of the Organization for Employment of the Elderly, Persons with Disabilities and Job Seekers, which supports the employment of people with disabilities, said, “I hope that through the competition, people will learn about the high level of skills of people with disabilities.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 4, 2023 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Sagamihara

On the Victims & Trying to Write About the Sagamihara Massacre

“I was forced to swing the hands of the clock back. Are you still swinging?” The family members of the victims of the Sagamihara Stabbings are upset over the fact that the former employee, Satoshi Uematsu, a 32-year-old prisoner who had been sentenced to death in the trial of the Tsukui Yamayurien case and withdrew his appeal, filed a retrial request with the Yokohama District Court.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 30, 2022 Number of comments0
Abuse Care Disability Intellectual disabilities Japan

Abuse found to take place at care facility for intellectually disabled children, expired food offered, air-con rarely used in summer

The abuse took place at Morinokuma-san, a day-care facility for primary schools children with developmental and intellectual disabilities. As a result of an audit conducted by the prefectural government after receiving information from the city, it was found that the chairwoman had been committing abusive acts for several years, including: (1) using expired or outdated foodstuffs in meals served; (2) giving warnings in an abusive voice such as “no rice”; and (3) rarely using the air-conditioner in the summer.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 29, 2022 Number of comments0
Disability Imperial Family Japan

Japan’s Princess Kako, often seen at events involving people with disabilities turns 28, resumes public engagements

Princess Kako is often in attendance at events involving people with disabilities in Japan. In September in Kurayoshi, Tottori Prefecture, Princess Kako gave a speech in sign language at an acting and dance competition that incorporates sign language.  

In addition, she attended events including for the Japanese Breast Cancer Society and sports for disabled athletes.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 28, 2022 Number of comments0
Eugenics Forced Sterilization Hokkaido Japan

Asahi Shimbun Editorial: Sterilization case underlines grim services for people with disabilities

Eight couples underwent sterilization procedures in response to the operator’s suggestion.
The operator of the group home, a social welfare corporation, insists it never compelled anyone to become sterilized nor required sterilization operations as a condition for continued use of its services.