“A drama that looks back on the lives of women with severe disabilities, who have been working to help people with disabilities to live in the community, will held at the Kunitachi Arts Center in Kunitachi City, on December 11th. The drama is about a disabled woman and the many barriers that she has overcome and the actions she has taken to the government.”
JR East hopes to make the Takanawa Gateway Station on its Yamanote Line a model for its future stations with cutting-edge technologies, but disability action groups in Japan have voiced concerns about ‘unstaffed’ stations before.
“According to the rail companies, space for one or two wheelchairs is available on each bullet train. Users are requested to reserve them by telephone or at JR counters at least two days before boarding, in principle. At the committee meeting, Akaba called the system “outrageous.”“
“The suspect in the Sagamihara massacre of disabled people, whilst saying he won’t “claim that I’m unable to take criminal responsibility”, according to The Mainichi Newspaper, shows ‘glimpses of anxiety’ as trial approaches in early January 2020.”
“Last year there were a series of incidents found where the employment rate in Japan fell below the 2.5% required by law, despite each ministry promoting the employment of people with disabilities. Disabled People International argues that there is a lack of awareness about employment of people with disabilities.”
“The attributes of the staff in charge is not related to the problem of discarding the material. It is inappropriate to be told that it took time to dispose of it because of the employment of persons with disabilities.”
“Abe, already under fire for inviting many of his supporters to state-funded annual cherry blossom-viewing parties, said the nonregular employee is a disabled worker on shortened work hours.”
“Trials have begun at Tokyo International Airport at Haneda to introduce next generation self-driving electric wheelchairs for helping elderly and other people move more easily to boarding gates after checking in.”
“Under questioning in parliament on Tuesday, Abe repeated this explanation, adding the shredding took place when it did “because of the work schedule of the disabled contractor in charge”.
“Some 900 million yen is expected to be necessary to carry out all items in the renovation plan. The Upper House barrier-free promotion project team hopes to include related costs in an upcoming draft supplementary budget for fiscal 2019.”
“A workshop was held in Saitama City to help volunteers at the Tokyo Olympics experience the lives of people with disabilities and learn how to guide them.”
“Super Morinaga (President Koichi Tsutsumi), which has stores in Saga and Fukuoka, donated 500,000 yen to Saga City on November 28 to support disabled people.”
“On November 30th the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare published guidelines for national and local governments to create plans for creating workplaces so that persons with disabilities working in government agencies can play an active role.”
“[A]mong the 120 cases surveyed, there were 32, or 27 percent, in which wheelchair users were refused taxi rides.”
“Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has withdrawn a poster intended to raise awareness of its Advance Care Planning (ACP) service, a service that was intended to inform people about ‘end of life care.”
“Police have obtained an arrest warrant for the suspect on suspicion of murder and other charges and plan to arrest him after he sufficiently recovers from severe burns to be able to withstand detention. During police questioning conducted on a voluntary basis on Nov. 8, the suspect admitted to the allegations.”
“-Relatives of former leprosy patients, at a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday, called on the government to continue efforts to combat discrimination after the recent enactment of a law for compensation.”
“Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has made it a policy for emergency calls such as 110 and 119 regarding the “telephone relay service” for the hearing impaired, which is scheduled to be implemented nationwide from 2021.”
““I want to enjoy my job without losing obstacles.” A seminar to think about how people with disabilities in a community with such thoughts can work by making use of their abilities will be held on December 6th 2019 in the complex facility “Nigiwai no Sato no Ichi Camino” in Nonoichi City, Ishikawa Prefecture. Young people who are active in the welfare field in European countries and think about how participants and people with disabilities work are invited. Participation is free.”
“The flames of the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics will be ignited in over 700 municipalities across all 47 of Japan’s prefectures before they unite for the torch relay, games organizers said…”It will be a symbol of an inclusive society,” Tokyo Games organizing committee chief Yoshiro Mori said.”
“Saga announced the employment rate of persons with disabilities in FY2019 (as of June 1) on the 22nd. The prefectural police headquarters increased by 0.5 points at 2.22% and achieved the legal employment rate because the number of shortages became zero.”
“JR Kyushu is promoting the implementation of unmanned station in Oita city that discriminates against people with disabilities.
A civic group made up of people with disabilities and supporters will file a lawsuit seeking compensation from the Oita District Court on November 19th”
“2019 marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of “Brave Kids”, a voluntary organization in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, which supports brothers and sisters (siblings) of children with disabilities.”
“Mohammad Pashai, an Iranian resident of Japan who became paralyzed from the waist down after an accident at work, is expanding the horizons of his disabled compatriots back home by sending them secondhand wheelchairs and other assistive devices.”
“US IT firm Gartner predicts that in 2023 the employment opportunities for people with disabilities will triple. Opportunities will open not only to people with disabilities, but also to many people who have not been able to work for various reasons.”
“A 71-year-old woman in central Japan suspected of murdering her husband has told investigators she strangled her in-laws as well, local police said Monday, pointing to the stress of being the sole caregiver in the family as a possible motive.”
“In Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture, a walking tour was conducted to consider the ideal tourist destination for people with disabilities, caregivers, and healthy people while visiting local landmarks with wheelchair users.”
“Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has decided to strengthen support from the next fiscal year for people with disabilities and senior citizens who repeat crimes due to problems with welfare networks and difficulties in living circumstances.”
“On November 14th, a group of disabled organizations in Saitama city confirmed the status of barrier-free maintenance in the city, on and around JR Saitama Shintoshin Station.”
“The Diet, Japan’s parliament, on Friday enacted bills to compensate relatives of former leprosy patients and restore their honor damaged through discrimination.”
“One month after Typhoon Hagibis, the 19th typhoon of the season and some of the victims spending time at evacuation centers are disabled. The unfamiliar environment is filled with hardships due to their disabilities, and is causing them fatigue.”
“While a significant proportion of those who died in vehicles were young, many of those who died inside their homes were elderly.”
“The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said Tuesday that 26 nursing homes and group homes for elderly people with dementia in seven prefectures remain damaged after flooding. Some elderly residents have been forced to move multiple times during evacuation, which has had an adverse impact on their health.”
“About 5,000 bouquets will be prepared to give to athletes at the medal ceremonies of the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. A stuffed doll of the games’ mascots, Miraitowa and Someity, will also be attached to to the bouquet.”
“Certification for people with disabilities in Japan has long been cumbersome and impractical, but with the rollout of new cards and smartphone apps life is becoming much simpler.”
“NHK reports that as the summer heat becomes a concern for Tokyo 2020, Japan’s Para team looks for ways to cool down. From an NHK news report broadcast at 7pm on Sunday 10th 2019.”
“Japan’s industry ministry is weighing a maximum allocation of around 100,000 yen ($915) per purchase, the officials said, as the one- to two-seater EVs are looked at as a way to provide Japan’s rapidly aging population with an easier and safer means of mobility, particularly in rural areas where public transport is limited.”
“When I ignited the fire, I myself burned my whole body and became unconscious, and I was receiving treatment in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Osaka. About a month ago, I removed the tube inserted into the trachea and had a conversation and rehabilitation to move my body.””
“Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has produced a multilingual poster on manners when using accessible toilets in Japan.”
“”If people’s minds are changed, society will change as well,” Seryu told Kyodo News in a recent interview in Tokyo after giving a presentation at the Swedish Embassy during an event related to the 2020 Tokyo Games.”
“”Lack of knowledge about the reality of disabled people leads to prejudice and discrimination,” Yasuhiko Funago said, as he proposed an “inclusive education” system where children with and without disabilities can study together.”
“If you are asked for assistance by a disabled person or an elderly person at the station, how far should you respond? A letter from an station employee of a Japanese railroad company sent to the ‘life section’ of The Chunichi Shimbun offered this advice…”
“Representative Kimura told reporters, “I wanted to know the current situation of people with disabilities.” “
“Two and a half years have passed since the Kanagawa Prefectural Board of Education accepted students with intellectual disabilities in ‘mainstream’ schools in three prefectural high schools. These students will graduate in March next year.”
“It was decided that staying in the facility was safer than moving a weak elderly person to an unequipped place. However, as the typhoon approached, the river overflowed with water and became more serious than expected.”
“Hirotada Ototake, a Japanese writer born without arms and legs who is best known for his 1998 memoir “No One’s Perfect,” has embarked on a project to develop electrically operated “robot” legs that will enable him and others like him to walk.”
“The 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games marathon will proceed in the Japanese capital as planned, International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons said Thursday.”
“Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe instructed relevant cabinet ministers on Tuesday to accelerate work toward introducing a “limited” driver’s license that will allow holders to drive only vehicles with safety support functions.”
“There are universal design (UD) taxis in Japan which wheelchair users can use but often the driver refuses disabled people. The organization “DPI Japan” will conduct a survey to investigate such refusals in different areas of Japan. The DPI aims to improve the situation before many wheelchair users from overseas visit Japan for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.”
“The Miyagi Prefecture hospital still has no running water and is unable to use its X-ray imaging equipment and magnetic resonance imaging machines.”
