Latest Posts

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 29, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Discrimination Japan Mobility

Sapporo apologizes for lack of consultation before disability driver’s license subsidy cut

It has emerged that Sapporo City has informed disability organisations that it is “impossible” to reverse its decision to abolish, from April, a subsidy of up to ¥100,000 for people with physical disabilities to obtain a driver’s licence, after the city eliminated the programme without first consulting those affected. Disabled People International Japan has expressed concern that the cuts will further restrict the mobility of wheelchair users during the winter months, when snow and ice already make travel difficult.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 29, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Earthquake Japan Podcast Sagamihara

On Earthquakes and Sagamihara Survivor Kazuya Ono [Podcast Episode]

“Through these experiences and the many people he has met along the way, Kazuya seems to be steadily expanding his world and broadening his horizons,” said Yasuki Otsubo, Ono’s lead caregiver.  An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 jolted southwestern Japan on Tuesday, with many feared injured as authorities scrambled to assess the extent of the damage amid reports of collapsed buildings, fires, power outages and traffic disruptions.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 27, 2026 Number of comments0
Abuse Care Disability Japan Megumi Corporation Podcast

Okazaki City Sanctions Disability Facility Over Abuse; Facility Ran by Successor Company to “Megumi” [Podcast Episode]

The facility is operated by Innovel Healthcare (Midori Ward, Nagoya City), which took over the operations in March 2025 from “Megumi”, a major group home operator whose license was revoked in 2024 due to issues such as overcharging for food expenses. According to the city, staff members engaged in physical violence against residents, including kicking them, and made threatening statements such as “Do it properly.” The city determined these actions constituted physical and psychological abuse.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 26, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Sagamihara

Prayers Offered for Victims of Sagamihara Care Home Attack

Many people visited the Tsukui Yamayuri-en residential facility for people with disabilities in the city of Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, on Sunday, the 10th anniversary of a mass stabbing attack that left 45 residents and staff members dead or injured. Chikiko Ono, 84, whose eldest son was seriously injured in the attack, visited the facility with her husband, Takashi, 82. Reflecting on the tragedy, she said, “There is not a day that goes by without us talking about Yamayuri-en. It feels as though our lives have been intertwined with the facility.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 26, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Podcast Sagamihara

Ten Year Anniversary of the Sagamihara Stabbings, Extract of an E-mail from the Primary Carer of Survivor, Kazuya Ono [Podcast Episode]

“My name is Yasuki Otsubo, and I am Kazuya Ono’s lead caregiver. Kazuya himself finds it difficult to write emails or communicate verbally, so I am writing on his behalf.
This year marks Kazuya’s sixth year living independently with the support of personal assistants after moving from an institution into a community apartment…”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 25, 2026 1
Abuse Care Disability Japan Megumi Corporation

Okazaki City Sanctions Disability Facility Over Abuse; Facility Ran by Successor Company to “Megumi”

The facility is operated by Innovel Healthcare (Midori Ward, Nagoya City), which took over the operations in March 2025 from “Megumi”, a major group home operator whose license was revoked in 2024 due to issues such as overcharging for food expenses. According to the city, staff members engaged in physical violence against residents, including kicking them, and made threatening statements such as “Do it properly.” The city determined these actions constituted physical and psychological abuse.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 24, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Group Homes (GH) Japan Welfare

Japan’s Welfare Ministry Introduces Guidelines to Limit Group Homes from April 2027

The Japanese government has confirmed that, from April 2027, group homes for people with disabilities will become subject to service volume controls, allowing local governments to limit the establishment of new group homes in areas deemed to have sufficient capacity. While intended to prevent an oversupply of services, the new guidelines stress that exceptions should be made for group homes serving people with intensive behavioural support needs or requiring medical care, acknowledging concerns that people with severe disabilities can still struggle to find suitable accommodation even where the overall number of group homes appears adequate. The guidelines also encourage transparent public recruitment of providers when restrictions are lifted and explain how municipalities can provide input on prefectural decisions to approve new disability service providers.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 23, 2026 Number of comments0
Cults Disability Japan Unification Church

Former Unification Church’s Assets at Time of Dissolution Exceeded 83.4 Billion Yen, Liquidator Announces

On the 22nd, the liquidator carrying out the liquidation process for the former Unification Church – officially known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification – which received a dissolution order from the Tokyo High Court in March of this year, published their fourth report submitted to the court on their website.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 22, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Organ Donation

Japan Startup to Seek Approval for Pig Kidney Transplants in 2029

A Japanese startup said Tuesday that it plans to file for conditional approval of pig-to-human kidney transplants in 2029. 
   PorMedTec, the startup based in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, plans to begin Japan’s first clinical trials of such transplants at Hokkaido University Hospital in the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido and Shonan Kamakura General Hospital in Kanagawa as early as 2028.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 22, 2026 Number of comments0
developmental disabilities Disability Education Japan Podcast

As awareness increases, more than 800,000 students in Japan may have developmental disabilities [Podcast Episode]

More than 800,000 students attending public elementary and junior high schools across Japan are estimated to have developmental disabilities, according to a government survey, with experts saying the increase reflects improved recognition rather than a sudden rise in prevalence.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 21, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Employment Japan

Efforts Grow in Japan to Help Disabled Thrive at Work; Smaller Businesses Struggle Due to Lack of Funds, Human Resources

The statutory employment rate for people with disabilities was raised to 2.7% from July, up from 2.5%.Fifty years have passed since such a mandatory rate was first set in 1976, and initiatives have now gone beyond merely meeting that figure to also exploring ways to maximize disabled people’s abilities and job satisfaction. Increasing the employment rate among small and medium-sized enterprises is a challenge as well. In companies with fewer than 100 employees, the employment rate for people with disabilities stands at only 1.94%, which is lower than the overall average.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 20, 2026 Number of comments0
Abuse Care Disability Japan Podcast

Yokohama Considers Administrative Sanctions After Alleged Improper Use of Restraints is Discovered at Disability Facility [Podcast Episode]

According to the city, when physical restraints are used, facilities are required to obtain the consent of the resident’s family and document the reasons for and methods of the restraint. The city suspects these procedures were not followed. Officials conducted an on-site inspection of the facility on July 15 and are now considering possible administrative sanctions.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 20, 2026 Number of comments0
Hospitals Japan Medical

Japan to Raise Caps on Out-of-Pocket Medical Expenses

Japan will raise the caps on medical expenses borne by patients as part of changes in its high-cost medical care benefit system from August that are designed to curb ballooning national medical costs. The ceilings on monthly out-of-pocket medical expenses will be raised next month and in August 2027. The total margin of increases will reach 4 pct to 38 pct, varying depending on the annual income.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 17, 2026 Number of comments0
Crime Hospitals Japan

Chiba Tainted-IV Murder Suspect Seen Entering Patient’s Room

At a press conference on Thursday, Tomonobu Hasegawa, director of Kashiwa Tanaka Hospital, said, “We deeply apologize” over the murder. “We will thoroughly educate all employees on ethics again,” he added. According to the hospital in the city of Kashiwa, an assistant nurse who worked the night shift with the suspect saw her several times entering and leaving the hospital room of Eiji Aita, 75, who later died.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 17, 2026 Number of comments0
Abuse Care Disability Japan Podcast

Suspected Abuse at Yokohama Disability Support Facility, Residents Called “Scum”, Locked in Rooms [Podcast Episode]

According to those familiar with the situation, in late June a staff member verbally abused a male resident who was using the toilet, shouting remarks such as, “Come on, get it out (the feces),” and “You piece of trash.” The toilet door was also left open, allowing other residents to see him while he was defecating.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 17, 2026 1
Abuse Care Disability Japan

Yokohama Considers Administrative Sanctions After Alleged Improper Use of Restraints is Discovered at Disability Facility

According to the city, when physical restraints are used, facilities are required to obtain the consent of the resident’s family and document the reasons for and methods of the restraint. The city suspects these procedures were not followed. Officials conducted an on-site inspection of the facility on July 15 and are now considering possible administrative sanctions.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 15, 2026 Number of comments0
Birth Rate Children Disability Eugenics Japan

Tokyo’s Three Bar Associations to Hold Symposium on Supporting Childbirth and Child-Rearing for People with Disabilities

Although the Supreme Court ruled in 2024 that the former Eugenic Protection Law, which forced people with disabilities and others to undergo sterilization, was unconstitutional, support for people with disabilities who wish to have children and raise families remains inadequate. The symposium will explore what kinds of support are needed.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 15, 2026 Number of comments0
Abilympics Barrier Free Disability Japan Podcast

‘Abilympics’ Held in Fukuoka [Podcast Episode]

The Abilympics Fukuoka 2026, a competition in which people with disabilities demonstrate and compete in vocational skills they have developed through their work and daily employment, was held in Kasuga, Fukuoka Prefecture, on July 11. The Abilympics are organized to help working people with disabilities improve their skills while also promoting greater understanding of the employment of people with disabilities. Competitors who achieved outstanding results qualified to compete at the National Abilympics, which will be held in Aichi Prefecture this December.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 14, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Para Sports Sports Wheelchair

Yui Kamiji Achieves Career Golden Slam in Women’s Wheelchair Singles

Japan’s Yui Kamiji shut out Diede de Groot of the Netherlands 6-0, 6-0 in the women’s wheelchair singles final at Wimbledon on Saturday, earning her first Wimbledon title. This is Kamiji’s 12th Grand Slam singles title and makes her the first Japanese woman to achieve a career Grand Slam, which requires titles at all four Grand Slam tournaments.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 13, 2026 1
Disability

‘Abilympics’ Held in Fukuoka

The Abilympics Fukuoka 2026, a competition in which people with disabilities demonstrate and compete in vocational skills they have developed through their work and daily employment, was held in Kasuga, Fukuoka Prefecture, on July 11. The Abilympics are organized to help working people with disabilities improve their skills while also promoting greater understanding of the employment of people with disabilities. Competitors who achieved outstanding results qualified to compete at the National Abilympics, which will be held in Aichi Prefecture this December.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 13, 2026 Number of comments0
Abuse Children developmental disabilities Disability Education Japan Podcast

Osaka High Court upholds dismissal of bullying lawsuit by schoolgirl with developmental disability [Podcast Episode]

According to the complaint and a report by a third-party committee established by the city, the young woman, now a high school student, attended a municipal elementary school in Sakai. Between her third and fourth grades (2018–2019), she was bullied by classmates, who blacked out her name in a shared notebook and stuffed small stones and other objects into her shoes. She eventually stopped attending school and later transferred to another school.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 11, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Employment Japan Welfare

Kanazawa Employment Support Agency for People with Disabilities Files for Bankruptcy after Fraudulently Receiving 30.41 Million Yen

Last December, the company had its designation revoked by Kanazawa City for fraudulently receiving 30.41 million yen in benefit payments intended for employment support for people with disabilities. The city had demanded a payment of 42.58 million yen, which included additional penalties, but it was not paid by the January 5th deadline of this year and the city is currently considering filing criminal charges.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 10, 2026 1
Abuse developmental disabilities Disability Education Japan

Osaka High Court upholds dismissal of bullying lawsuit by schoolgirl with developmental disability

According to the complaint and a report by a third-party committee established by the city, the young woman, now a high school student, attended a municipal elementary school in Sakai. Between her third and fourth grades (2018–2019), she was bullied by classmates, who blacked out her name in a shared notebook and stuffed small stones and other objects into her shoes. She eventually stopped attending school and later transferred to another school.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 10, 2026 Number of comments0
Abuse Disability Intellectual disabilities Japan Podcast

Tokyo girl with disabilities allegedly held captive; another brother arrested over confinement in closet [Podcast Episode]

In the case involving a teenage girl with an intellectual disability who was allegedly confined in a closet at her family’s home in Machida, in which her parents and two brothers – a total of four people – were arrested and indicted, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s First Investigation Division on July 6 arrested another teenage brother on suspicion of unlawful confinement, according to investigative sources. Police believe the girl had been subjected to abuse by every other member of her family.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 8, 2026 Number of comments0
Care Crime Disability Elderly Japan

Ex-Care Worker Gets 20 Years for Killing Elderly Home Resident

A local court on Tuesday sentenced a former worker at an elderly care home in the city of Koga, Ibaraki Prefecture, east of Tokyo, to 20 years in prison for murdering a resident of the facility six years ago.  Public prosecutors charged Megumi Akama, 40, with murdering two residents of the elderly home by injecting air into their intravenous drip tubes while she was working at the facility in 2020.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 8, 2026 Number of comments0
Abuse Care Disability Hokkaido Japan Podcast

Hokkaido Disability Facility Operator Drafts Improvement Plan Following Assault of Resident [Podcast Episode]

Following an incident where two former male staff members were arrested on suspicion of assault for physically abusing a resident at the “Tsurugaoka Gakuen” disability support facility in Kushiro City, the operating social welfare corporation, “Kushiro Aiiku Kyokai,” has drafted an improvement plan and submitted it to the Hokkaido prefectural government. In addition to reviewing security camera footage daily, the organization will establish a system that makes it easier to report and seek counselling regarding abuse. 

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 6, 2026 1
Abuse Care Disability Japan

Kushiro Disability Facility Operator Drafts Improvement Plan Following Assault of Resident

Following an incident where two former male staff members were arrested on suspicion of assault for physically abusing a resident at the “Tsurugaoka Gakuen” disability support facility in Kushiro City, the operating social welfare corporation, “Kushiro Aiiku Kyokai,” has drafted an improvement plan and submitted it to the Hokkaido prefectural government. In addition to reviewing security camera footage daily, the organization will establish a system that makes it easier to report and seek counseling regarding abuse. 

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 6, 2026 1
Children Disability Education Japan Podcast

Boy, 10, dies after disappearing from Ishikawa special needs school [Podcast Episode]

A tragic accident has raised questions after a 10-year-old boy attending a special needs school in Komatsu City went missing during class and was later found dead in a nearby waterfall. According to the school, the boy had a relatively mild disability and had no difficulty communicating. However, three years ago he had left the school building through the main entrance on his own. Since then, the school said it had strengthened supervision of students and ensured that doors remained locked.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 5, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Welfare

Japan’s municipal oversight of disability service providers falls short, with only just over 10% meeting inspection targets in FY2024; fraudulent claims exceed ¥3.2 billion

The rate at which local governments conduct operational inspections (unei shidō) of disability welfare service providers to ensure they are being properly run remains low. Among the municipalities responsible for overseeing such providers, only just over 10% met the national target in fiscal 2024 for the proportion of facilities inspected. Some municipalities conducted no inspections at all, raising concerns that improper practices may be going undetected.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 4, 2026 1
Children Disability Education Intellectual disabilities Japan

Boy, 10, dies after disappearing from Ishikawa special needs school

A tragic accident has raised questions after a 10-year-old boy attending a special needs school in Komatsu City went missing during class and was later found dead in a nearby waterfall. According to the school, the boy had a relatively mild disability and had no difficulty communicating. However, three years ago he had left the school building through the main entrance on his own. Since then, the school said it had strengthened supervision of students and ensured that doors remained locked.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 4, 2026 Number of comments0
Health Japan Medical

Kissei Pharmaceutical Ordered to Report on Deaths among Tavneos Users

Japan’s health ministry has ordered Kissei Pharmaceutical Co. to report on 20 deaths among users of Tavneos, a vasculitis drug marketed by the company in Japan, health minister Kenichiro Ueno said Friday.
The order was issued on June 19, giving the company, based in the central Japan city of Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, until July 21 to submit a report. “We’ll continue to consider our response based on a report from the company and future developments in the United States, where the drug was developed,” Ueno said at a press conference.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 3, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Employment Japan Podcast Welfare

Japan’s Health Ministry Produces Manual to Strengthen Guidance and Oversight of Disability Welfare Following Fraud Cases [Podcast Episode]

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has compiled manuals on group guidance, operational inspections, and audits conducted by prefectural governments and other authorities for disability welfare service providers, and distributed them to local governments on the 8th. Until now, the ministry had only outlined its approach through training sessions. The new manuals are intended to strengthen guidance and audits, primarily in response to a growing number of disciplinary cases involving fraudulent practices as the number of facilities operated by for-profit corporations continues to rise.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 2, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Employment Japan Welfare

Less than half of Japan’s firms meet disability employment quota as statutory rate rises to 2.7%

The statutory employment quota (hōtei koyōritsu) requiring companies to employ a minimum proportion of people with disabilities will be raised from 2.5% to 2.7% on July 1. The aim is to further promote employment of people with disabilities. However, fewer than half of companies currently meet even the existing quota, highlighting ongoing challenges in creating suitable workplace environments.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 1, 2026 1
Disability Japan Welfare

Japan’s Health Ministry Produces Manual, Strengthens Guidance and Oversight of Disability Welfare Providers Following Fraud Cases

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has compiled manuals on group guidance, operational inspections, and audits conducted by prefectural governments and other authorities for disability welfare service providers, and distributed them to local governments on the 8th. Until now, the ministry had only outlined its approach through training sessions. The new manuals are intended to strengthen guidance and audits, primarily in response to a growing number of disciplinary cases involving fraudulent practices as the number of facilities operated by for-profit corporations continues to rise.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 1, 2026 Number of comments0
Crime developmental disabilities Disability Japan Podcast Welfare

Woman arrested for 19 million Yen fraud targeting parent of child with suspected developmental disorder [Podcast Episode]

A 57-year-old company employee has been arrested on suspicion of defrauding the parents of a child suspected of having a developmental disorder out of approximately ¥19 million (about US$130,000) by recommending the child study abroad. Police believe the suspect may have used the same scheme to defraud multiple victims of more than ¥50 million in total and are continuing their investigation.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt June 30, 2026 1
Disability Employment Japan Welfare

Japan expands disability employment support amid impartiality concerns

A new welfare service designed to help disabled people find jobs suited to their abilities is spreading across Japan, but concerns remain that providers may steer users toward affiliated workplaces rather than make impartial recommendations. While supporters say the program can help people find more suitable career paths, critics warn that operators involved in assessing users may have a financial incentive to direct them to their own facilities.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt June 30, 2026 Number of comments0
Japan Organ Donation

Japan Startup to Conduct Clinical Trials of Pig Kidney Transplants

Japanese biotechnology startup PorMedTec Co. said Monday that it will conduct Japan’s first clinical trials of pig-to-human kidney transplantation at two hospitals in the country as early as 2028. The two hospitals are Hokkaido University Hospital in the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido and Shonan Kamakura General Hospital in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo. The transplantation of animal organs into humans, known as xenotransplantation, is expected to help address the chronic shortage of donor organs.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt June 28, 2026 Number of comments0
Children Crime developmental disabilities Disability Japan

Woman arrested for ¥19 million fraud targeting parent of child with suspected developmental disorder

A 57-year-old company employee has been arrested on suspicion of defrauding the parents of a child suspected of having a developmental disorder out of approximately ¥19 million (about US$130,000) by recommending the child study abroad. Police believe the suspect may have used the same scheme to defraud multiple victims of more than ¥50 million in total and are continuing their investigation.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt June 26, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Discrimination Hansen's disease Japan Podcast

Honour-Restoring Ceremony for Leprosy Patients Held in Tokyo [Podcast Episode]

A ceremony was held in Tokyo on Monday 22nd to restore the honor of leprosy patients in Japan, who had suffered severe discrimination based on the government’s past forced isolation policy.”We former patients and their families still live silently, hiding ourselves from prejudice and discrimination that are still swirling,” said Isao Tateyama, head of a group of plaintiffs in damages lawsuit against the government.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt June 25, 2026 Number of comments0
Art Disability Imperial Family Japan

Princess Kiko and Princess Kako Visit Exhibition of Artists with Disabilities

On the morning of June 24th, Princess Kiko of Akishino and her second daughter, Princess Kako of Akishino, viewed an exhibition featuring works by artists with disabilities from around the world. The exhibition displays 62 selected works chosen from submissions by more than 1,300 artists from around the world. The two princesses viewed, among other pieces, a work by a Japanese artist who used ironing beads (fused beads) to depict memorable dishes from their life.