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by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 13, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Japan Welfare

Japan’s ‘first visit date’ rule shows gaps in disability pension system

A Tokyo man in his 50s who was forced to quit his IT job after developing Parkinson’s disease faced difficulties obtaining Japan’s disability pension due to the system’s requirement to prove the date of first medical consultation, highlighting structural hurdles for applicants. Kenichi Sato (pseudonym), 54, was told he needed to verify an initial clinic visit from about 20 years ago, but records had been discarded under the legal five-year retention rule for medical charts.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 12, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Podcast Welfare

Aichi Prefecture’s Disability Certificate Issuance Woes [Podcast Episode]

While assigned to the center, a 27-year-old male employee from the Toyokawa Public Health Center issued certificates without obtaining the required approvals, recorded false review results in documents, and altered classifications to more severe levels. In interviews conducted by the prefecture, he explained to the effect that “administrative processing fell behind, and I altered the classifications to levels that applicants would accept.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 11, 2026 2
Disability Japan Welfare

Aichi Reports 1,034 Irregularities in Disability Certificate Issuance

While assigned to the center, a 27-year-old male employee from the Toyokawa Public Health Center issued certificates without obtaining the required approvals, recorded false review results in documents, and altered classifications to more severe levels. In interviews conducted by the prefecture, he explained to the effect that “administrative processing fell behind, and I altered the classifications to levels that applicants would accept.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 11, 2026 Number of comments0
Care Crime Disability Group Homes (GH) Japan Podcast

Chiba disability group home resident dies; former representative arrested [Podcast Episode]

Police in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, plan to arrest a man in his 30s who formerly headed a disability group home on suspicion of assault resulting in death after a 19-year-old male resident with an intellectual disability died under suspicious circumstances in 2025. Investigators believe the former representative assaulted the resident, leading to his death, and are also examining possible liability among staff members who allegedly failed to report the abuse despite being aware of it. Police suspect the victim may have been subjected to routine violence and are continuing the investigation.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 10, 2026 1
Crime Disability Group Homes (GH) Intellectual disabilities Japan

Chiba Group Home Representative Arrested for Killing 19-Year-Old Man

According to police, the suspect, Yasuki Nemoto, the corporate representative of the disability group home in Kashiwa, is suspected of punching and kicking the resident, Ryuhei Mihara, who had an intellectual disability, in March last year, resulting in his death. In addition, Miki Tobari, who was a staff member at the time, was arrested on suspicion of destroying evidence, including wiping away bloodstains at the scene. Nemoto’s wife was also arrested on suspicion of inciting the destruction of evidence.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 10, 2026 Number of comments0
Election Japan Podcast Politics Sanae Takaichi Sanseito

Japan Lower House Election 2026: Barrier Free Japan’s ‘Two Yen Worth’ Analysis [Podcast Episode]

As of the evening of February 9th, according to Jiji Press, Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party secured a historic landslide victory in Sunday’s House of Representatives election, winning 316 seats to occupy a standalone two-thirds majority of the 465 seats in the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 9, 2026 2
Abuse Disability Group Homes (GH) Intellectual disabilities Japan

Chiba disability group home resident dies; former representative to be arrested

Police in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, plan to arrest a man in his 30s who formerly headed a disability group home on suspicion of assault resulting in death after a 19-year-old male resident with an intellectual disability died under suspicious circumstances in 2025. Investigators believe the former representative assaulted the resident, leading to his death, and are also examining possible liability among staff members who allegedly failed to report the abuse despite being aware of it. Police suspect the victim may have been subjected to routine violence and are continuing the investigation.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 9, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Election Japan Podcast Politics

LDP Wins Two-Thirds Majority, Sanseito and Team Mirai Gain Seats [Podcast Episode]

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party secured a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives in Sunday’s general election, delivering a strong mandate for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and enhancing her ability to advance key policies. Holding more than 310 seats in the 465-member chamber allows the party to pursue constitutional revision and pass legislation even if rejected by the House of Councillors, where the ruling bloc lacks a majority. Meanwhile, the minor populist party Sanseito expanded its lower house presence to 13 seats from two, though its leader voiced dissatisfaction with the outcome, while Team Mirai won its first seat in the Lower House, according to early returns.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 9, 2026 1
Disability Election Japan Politics Sanae Takaichi Sanseito

LDP Wins Two-Thirds Majority, Sanseito and Team Mirai Gain Seats

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party secured a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives in Sunday’s general election, delivering a strong mandate for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and enhancing her ability to advance key policies. Holding more than 310 seats in the 465-member chamber allows the party to pursue constitutional revision and pass legislation even if rejected by the House of Councillors, where the ruling bloc lacks a majority. Meanwhile, the minor populist party Sanseito expanded its lower house presence to 13 seats from two, though its leader voiced dissatisfaction with the outcome, while Team Mirai won its first seat, according to early returns.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 8, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Employment Japan

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Produces Draft Report on Disability Employment Guidelines

A meeting of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s “Study Group on the Future of the Employment Promotion System for Persons with Disabilities” (chaired by Ryuichi Yamakawa, professor at Meiji University) was held on January 30, where a draft report was compiled. To improve the quality of employment for persons with disabilities, elements that the government should prioritize will be compiled into guidelines and stipulated in laws and regulations. Guidelines will also be formulated for the rapidly increasing disability employment business sector, and user companies will be required to submit certain reports so that authorities can provide guidance and supervision.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 8, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games Para Sports Paralympics Podcast Sports

Less than a month until the Paralympics, Japan finalizes Milan–Cortina preparations [Podcast Episode]

With less than a month to go until the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games open on March 6, Japan is stepping up final preparations for a campaign that will feature broad representation across the six-sport program, including the return of its para ice hockey team.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 7, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Election Japan

Japan Disability Forum Calls for Better Polling Station Access

Ahead of the House of Representatives election to be held and counted on the 8th, the Japan Disability Forum, comprising 59 disability organizations and related groups, submitted a written request to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on January 20 concerning voting by people with disabilities. Pointing out that there are still disparities in how municipal election management committees respond, the group called for wider dissemination of the ministry’s guide, “Examples of Polling Station Responses for Persons with Disabilities,” and for thorough implementation of reasonable accommodations in voting.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 7, 2026 Number of comments0
Election Foreign Residents Japan

Ahead of Election JIP, Sanseito Call for Cap on Foreigners in Japan [Podcast Episode]

The Japan Innovation Party and Sanseito have called for setting a cap on the percentage of foreign nationals in Japan’s population in their promises to voters for Sunday’s House of Representatives election. By contrast, the Liberal Democratic Party, the JIP’s ally in the ruling camp, makes no mention of such a cap in its election platform. The Centrist Reform Alliance, a new opposition party created by Lower House lawmakers from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito, considers such a cap a premature measure.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 6, 2026 Number of comments0
Japan Podcast Politics Sanae Takaichi Unification Church

Tokyo Court to Rule on Unification Church Dissolution Order on March 4 [Podcast Episode]

The Tokyo High Court will decide on March 4 whether to back a lower court’s order for the Unification Church to disband itself, informed sources said Wednesday. If the high court upholds the dissolution order, it will take effect regardless of whether the religious group appeals to the Supreme Court, and liquidation procedures will begin. The group could continue its activities as a voluntary organization, but it would lose its status as a religious corporation and would no longer be eligible for tax benefits.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 6, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Discrimination Hyogo Japan Kobe

Kobe Meeting Calls for End to Institutionalization and Violence Against People with Disabilities

A meeting held in Kobe on January 24th 2026 drew disability rights advocates and community organizers calling for an end to institutionalization following recent reports of violence at residential care facilities in Hyogo Prefecture. The gathering, organized by independent living groups, highlighted concerns that segregated living environments heighten the risk of abuse and isolate people with disabilities from society.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 5, 2026 Number of comments0
Abuse Care Disability Group Homes (GH) Japan

Ex-Care Worker Arrested for Assaulting Female Resident at Saitama Disability Group Home

According to the arrest allegations, between approximately 8:17 p.m. and 8:43 p.m. on October 12, 2025, at the disability group home in Sekiyama 1-chome, Hasuda City where he worked, the man allegedly assaulted a 21-year-old female resident by punching her in the face and causing injuries, including a subconjunctival hemorrhage in her right eye. The man denies the charges, stating, “I did not use violence. I cannot accept the arrest.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 5, 2026 1
Japan Unification Church

Tokyo Court to Rule on Unification Church Dissolution Order on March 4

The Tokyo High Court will decide on March 4 whether to back a lower court’s order for the Unification Church to disband itself, informed sources said Wednesday.    If the high court upholds the dissolution order, it will take effect regardless of whether the religious group appeals to the Supreme Court, and liquidation procedures will begin. The group could continue its activities as a voluntary organization, but it would lose its status as a religious corporation and would no longer be eligible for tax benefits.   

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 4, 2026 1
Election Foreign Residents Immigration Japan Politics

JIP, Sanseito Call for Cap on Foreigners in Japan

The Japan Innovation Party and Sanseito have called for setting a cap on the percentage of foreign nationals in Japan’s population in their promises to voters for Sunday’s House of Representatives election. By contrast, the Liberal Democratic Party, the JIP’s ally in the ruling camp, makes no mention of such a cap in its election platform. The Centrist Reform Alliance, a new opposition party created by Lower House lawmakers from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito, considers such a cap a premature measure.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 4, 2026 Number of comments0
Election Japan Podcast Politics Sanae Takaichi

Takaichi Cancels TV Debate due to Hand Injury [Podcast Episode]

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi canceled her appearance in a television debate program Sunday morning as she injured her hand during the campaign trail for the Feb. 8 general election. Takaichi posted on X, formerly Twitter, that she injured her hand during her campaign activities in the past couple of days and has been receiving treatment. “When I shook hands with a person who supports me enthusiastically, my hand was pulled hard and I hurt it,” she said, adding, “I have chronic rheumatoid arthritis, so my hand became swollen.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 3, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free developmental disabilities Disability Discrimination Employment Japan Podcast

Yokohama Court Rules Disability-Based Dismissal After ‘Outing’ Illegal [Podcast Episode]

While the court ordered the payment of ¥800,000 in consolation money, it did not recognize the claim for wages for the period during which the man was unable to work after his dismissal. The plaintiff’s attorney, Motoya Tsuchida, said, “The ruling does, in a sense, squarely acknowledge disability discrimination,” while indicating that they plan to appeal.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 1, 2026 1
Election Japan Politics Sanae Takaichi

Takaichi Cancels TV Debate due to Hand Injury

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi canceled her appearance in a television debate program Sunday morning as she injured her hand during the campaign trail for the Feb. 8 general election. Takaichi posted on X, formerly Twitter, that she injured her hand during her campaign activities in the past couple of days and has been receiving treatment. “When I shook hands with a person who supports me enthusiastically, my hand was pulled hard and I hurt it,” she said, adding, “I have chronic rheumatoid arthritis, so my hand became swollen.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 1, 2026 1
Disability Discrimination Japan

Yokohama Court Rules Disability-Based Dismissal After ‘Outing’ Illegal

While the court ordered the payment of ¥800,000 in consolation money, it did not recognize the claim for wages for the period during which the man was unable to work after his dismissal. The plaintiff’s attorney, Motoya Tsuchida, said, “The ruling does, in a sense, squarely acknowledge disability discrimination,” while indicating that they plan to appeal.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 31, 2026 Number of comments0
Abuse Care Disability Japan Welfare

Abuse Found at Ehime Disability Facility; Manager Dismissed

The prefectural government announced that it has imposed an administrative sanction on a group home support facility in Tōon, Ehime Prefecture, after confirming that the facility’s then-manager repeatedly abused residents. According to the prefecture, inspections and audits found that over a period of about one year from November 2024, the manager subjected users to physical, sexual and psychological abuse on multiple occasions. The manager has since been dismissed, and the prefecture ordered the facility to suspend accepting new users for one year under the Act on Comprehensive Support for Persons with Disabilities, citing the seriousness and repeated nature of the misconduct.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 31, 2026 Number of comments0
Children Japan Mental Health

Japan Forms Group to Protect Juveniles from Social Media Issues

Japan’s Children and Families Agency has set up a working group to discuss possible regulation of social media services to prevent juveniles from being caught up in problems via the internet. The group will mull measures while taking into account a revision of the law to improve the environment for young people’s safe and secure internet use, which restricts the browsing of harmful information by such people. The group, expected to release an interim report in July, will have opportunities to exchange opinions with junior and senior high school students.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 30, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Japan Robotics Technology

After Trial in Miyazaki, Saga City Pilots “OriHime” Robot to Support Employment of People with Disabilities

Saga City and other local governments in Japan are increasingly turning to avatar robots to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities, with the humanoid robot “OriHime” emerging as a key tool. Saga City has launched a pilot program placing an OriHime robot in the lobby of its city hall, where it is remotely operated by people with disabilities to guide visitors during peak hours, in cooperation with a local employment support facility. The initiative aims to create new, flexible work models for those who have difficulty commuting or working in person, while also improving public services. Similar efforts to raise awareness of avatar robots have been seen elsewhere, including an event in Miyazaki Prefecture in 2024, highlighting growing interest in OriHime as a way to connect people with disabilities to society and the workforce.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 30, 2026 Number of comments0
Children Disability Japan Mental Health

Suicides in Japan Fall below 20,000 for 1st Time in 2025, Students Reach Record High

The number of people who died by suicide in Japan in 2025 came to 19,097, standing below 20,000 for the first time since the statistics began in 1978, preliminary government data showed Thursday.  Suicides among elementary, junior high and senior high school students came to 532, hitting a record high for the second straight year since comparable data became available in 1980.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 30, 2026 Number of comments0
Abuse Disability Hospitals Japan Mental Health Podcast

Japan Compiles Statistics on Abuse by Psychiatric Hospital Workers for First Time [Podcast Episode]

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced on January 19th that in fiscal 2024 there were 6,258 reports and notifications received by prefectures and designated cities concerning alleged abuse of persons with disabilities by staff at psychiatric hospitals. Of these, 260 cases were officially recognized as abuse. Under the revised Mental Health and Welfare Act enacted in 2022, reporting abuse of persons with disabilities by psychiatric hospital staff to prefectures and designated cities was made mandatory. This is the first time such data have been compiled. The ministry stated, “We have confirmed that the reporting system is being recognized. We will continue to closely monitor future trends.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 29, 2026 Number of comments0
Children Crime Disability Japan Pregnancy

Prosecutors Amend Indictment in Fatal Crash Involving Pregnant Woman, Stops Short of Injury Charge for Fetus

At the second hearing on Jan. 26 at the Ichinomiya branch of the Nagoya District Court, prosecutors amended the indictment in a fatal traffic accident case involving a pregnant woman to include harm caused to the fetus, while declining to apply a separate charge of negligent driving resulting in injury to the child. The husband of the victim, Yudai Togitani, who lost his wife and whose daughter was left with severe disabilities, said the grief of losing his wife and the anger over having his daughter’s future taken away have remained unchanged since the accident, adding that he could not accept that his daughter was not treated as a victim when her name was initially omitted from the indictment.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 29, 2026 1
Abuse Disability Hospitals Japan Mental Health

Japan Compiles Statistics on Abuse by Psychiatric Hospital Workers for First Time

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced on January 19th that in fiscal 2024 there were 6,258 reports and notifications received by prefectures and designated cities concerning alleged abuse of persons with disabilities by staff at psychiatric hospitals. Of these, 260 cases were officially recognized as abuse.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 28, 2026 Number of comments0
Abuse Care Crime Disability Japan

Ex-Employee Arrested for Multiple Assaults at Saitama Disability Facility

A former employee of a facility for people with disabilities in Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture, has been arrested on suspicion of repeatedly assaulting and injuring a male resident in his 20s with a disability on three occasions between 2021 and 2024, police said. Investigators allege the 42-year-old man initially told colleagues the injuries were the result of an accident, but the case came to light after a relative of another resident contacted police in January last year. Authorities have since identified injuries among other residents from the same period that may have been caused by assaults, raising concerns the suspect may have routinely abused multiple residents, and police are continuing their investigation.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 28, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Discrimination Employment Japan Podcast

52.6% of Companies in Japan Find Disability Employment Targets “Difficult” to Achieve [Podcast Episode]

More than half of Japanese companies say they will struggle to meet the government’s higher disability employment quota, highlighting persistent challenges in workplace readiness and internal awareness. A survey by disability employment support firm Persol Diversity found that 52.6% of companies view achieving the revised statutory quota of 2.7%, which takes effect in July, as difficult, underscoring gaps in organizational understanding and the need for improved accommodations and support systems for workers with disabilities.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 27, 2026 Number of comments0
Crime Disability Japan

75-Year-Old Tottori Man Sentenced to Three Years and Two Months For Multiple Hit-and-Run Incidents, Leaving 9-Year-Old Disabled

In explaining the reasons for the sentence, the court first referred to the incident on March 31, 2025, in which the defendant caused serious injury to a 9-year-old child through negligent driving. The 9-year-old child who was injured suffered “diffuse axonal injury, traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage, acute subdural hematoma, swallowing dysfunction, and quadriplegia, among other injuries, and at one point was in a life-threatening condition.” Even now, “the function of both the upper and lower limbs remains severely restricted, nutrition is almost entirely provided through tube feeding, the child can barely speak, and requires assistance for most daily activities.” The prospect of future recovery remains uncertain.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 27, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Employment Japan

52.6% of Companies in Japan Find Disability Employment Targets “Difficult” to Achieve

More than half of Japanese companies say they will struggle to meet the government’s higher disability employment quota, highlighting persistent challenges in workplace readiness and internal awareness. A survey by disability employment support firm Persol Diversity found that 52.6% of companies view achieving the revised statutory quota of 2.7%, which takes effect in July, as difficult, underscoring gaps in organizational understanding and the need for improved accommodations and support systems for workers with disabilities.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 27, 2026 Number of comments0
Care Disability Japan Podcast Welfare

Gunma Issues Guidance After Death of Disabled 17-Year-Old on Outing, Cites “delay in transporting to hospital” [Podcast Episode]

Gunma Prefecture issued guidance to a social welfare corporation operating a disability support facility following an investigation into an accident in which a male high school student (17 at the time), who attended a disability support facility in Ōra Town, Gunma Prefecture, fell ill and died during a sea swimming outing. The prefecture cited a “delay in transporting him to a hospital” as a contributing factor and pointed out that countermeasures against aspiration of seawater had not been discussed, stating that “risk management was not in place.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 26, 2026 Number of comments0
Crime Japan Sexual Assault

Final Settlement Reached in GSDF Sexual Abuse Case

A former member of Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force reached a final settlement on Monday in a damages lawsuit she filed over sexual assault by five then GSDF members. The settlement, reached at Yokohama District Court, includes the government’s payment of a total of 1.6 million yen to the plaintiff, Rina Gonoi, 26, but not an apology or payment from the five former GSDF members.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 26, 2026 Number of comments0
Care Disability Japan Welfare

Gunma Issues Guidance After Death of Disabled 17-Year-Old on Outing, Cites “delay in transporting to hospital”

Gunma Prefecture issued guidance to a social welfare corporation operating a disability support facility following an investigation into an accident in which a male high school student (17 at the time), who attended a disability support facility in Ōra Town, Gunma Prefecture, fell ill and died during a sea swimming outing. The prefecture cited a “delay in transporting him to a hospital” as a contributing factor and pointed out that countermeasures against aspiration of seawater had not been discussed, stating that “risk management was not in place.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 26, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Eugenics Forced Sterilization Japan Podcast Politics Sanae Takaichi

Takaichi Meets with Forced Sterilization Victims [Podcast Episode]

“The government’s responsibility is extremely grave,” Takaichi said when she met with the victims at the prime minister’s office on Wednesday.   A law on compensation to forced sterilization victims took effect on Jan. 17 last year following a Supreme Court ruling that recognized the state’s liability. While victims are estimated to include around 25,000 individuals subjected to sterilization procedures and about 59,000 who had abortions, the number of cases certified under the law remained at just 1,560 as of the end of November last year.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 25, 2026 Number of comments0
Health Japan

Japan to Designate 8 Ingredients for List of Drugs with Abuse Risk

Japan’s health ministry will designate eight drug ingredients as having abuse potential under law in response to rising concerns about the overdose of over-the-counter drugs among young people, it has been learned. The ministry will publicly notify the decision, made by its subcommittee on Friday, in mid-February. Currently, six ingredients commonly found in cold or cough medicines are designated as drugs that may be abused under ministerial ordinances and other rules. The new designation will add dextromethorphan, an antitussive ingredient, and diphenhydramine, an antihistamine, bringing the total number of designated substances to eight.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 24, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Politics Sanseito

Sanseito Aims to Boost Lower House Seats by 10-Fold

Sanseito aims to boost the number of its House of Representatives seats by 10-fold in next month’s election for the all-important parliamentary chamber in Japan, in order to gain momentum to realize its policies, Sohei Kamiya, leader of the rising opposition party, said in an interview. “Our goal is to secure 30 seats,” Kamiya said. “We hope to be in a position where bills can’t pass without our party’s support,” he said.