Japan’s Princess Aiko on Friday interacted with people at a medical and welfare facility in the city of Maibara in the western prefecture of Shiga. At the facility, the princess, the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, observed a rehabilitation session for children with disabilities such as cerebral palsy.
Twenty-four days after the Kumamoto Earthquake, the number of welfare facilities reported to have suffered damage had risen to 1,854, according to figures reported as of August 19. The damage included cracked walls, power outages and disruptions to water supplies.
Japan’s Princess Aiko on Friday interacted with people at a medical and welfare facility in the city of Maibara in the western prefecture of Shiga. At the facility, the princess, the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, observed a rehabilitation session for children with disabilities such as cerebral palsy.
Late on the night of October 25, 2024, a 20-year-old university student was assaulted by a group of people in a park in Ebetsu, Hokkaido, and lost his life. For approximately two hours, he was punched and kicked more than 100 times. He was stripped naked, and his hair was even set on fire. Most of the six men and women involved in the attack were teenagers. Moreover, many of them did not even know the victim. The alleged ringleader, defendant Yuto Kawaguchi, was 18 at the time of the crime. In court, testimony focused on his upbringing. A medical expert who assessed him testified that he had “an IQ of 58, indicating a mild intellectual disability, and mild hearing impairment.”
It was learned on the 19th that, in February this year in Kyoto City, a male home-care worker who was assisting a man with severe physical and intellectual disabilities and who lived alone left the man’s home for about two and a half hours in order to play pachinko. In April, the city officially recognized the incident as abuse under the Act on the Prevention of Abuse of Persons with Disabilities. Calling it “an issue involving the man’s life and safety,” the city also ordered the home-care service provider employing the caregiver to take measures to prevent a recurrence and make other improvements.
It was learned on the 19th that, in February this year in Kyoto City, a male home-care worker who was assisting a man with severe physical and intellectual disabilities and who lived alone left the man’s home for about two and a half hours in order to play pachinko. In April, the city officially recognized the incident as abuse under the Act on the Prevention of Abuse of Persons with Disabilities. Calling it “an issue involving the man’s life and safety,” the city also ordered the home-care service provider employing the caregiver to take measures to prevent a recurrence and make other improvements.
The “18-Year-Old Wall” refers to a phenomenon where the governing legislation for receiving welfare services shifts at age 18 from the Child Welfare Act to the Services and Supports for Persons with Disabilities Act. Because of this legal switch, individuals are often unable to access the same services they received prior to turning 18, creating significant disruption in daily life for both the individual and their family.
Regarding the wooden reconstruction of the Nagoya Castle keep, Nagoya City is aiming to install a vertical lifting device, while disability organizations are calling for the installation of a large elevator. The two sides remain at odds, but Nagoya City says it hopes to present an overall plan for accessibility, including the lifting equipment, by February 2027.
Regarding the wooden reconstruction of the Nagoya Castle keep, Nagoya City is aiming to install a vertical lifting device, while disability organizations are calling for the installation of a large elevator. The two sides remain at odds, but Nagoya City says it hopes to present an overall plan for accessibility, including the lifting equipment, by February 2027.
Princess Kako said:
“First, I would like to express my deep condolences to those who lost their lives in the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake and the August 2026 Chiba Torrential Rain, and offer my heartfelt sympathy to all those affected by these disasters.”
According to the complaint, Runa (a pseudonym), who was 16 at the time, was arrested in June last year on suspicion of assaulting a user at a disability welfare facility in Hyogo Prefecture. She was held in custody for 18 days. Runa was released and subsequently not prosecuted. However, her family says that she developed PTSD and an eating disorder due to the stress caused by the interrogation, during which investigators allegedly pressured her to confess, saying things such as, “Do you want to go to a juvenile detention center?” About five months later, she died in a state of severe malnutrition.
A complaint has been accepted against police officers and a prosecutor in a case in which the bereaved family alleges that the death of a 16-year-old girl was caused by an unlawful arrest and interrogation. According to the complaint, Runa (a pseudonym), who was 16 at the time, was arrested in June last year on suspicion of assaulting a user at a disability welfare facility in Hyogo Prefecture. She was held in custody for 18 days. Runa was released and subsequently not prosecuted. However, her family says that she developed PTSD and an eating disorder due to the stress caused by the interrogation, during which investigators allegedly pressured her to confess, saying things such as, “Do you want to go to a juvenile detention center?” About five months later, she died in a state of severe malnutrition.
The defendant, 29-year-old Kai Takahashi, a former employee of the Kushiro disability support facility Tsurugaoka Gakuen, is accused of assaulting four residents by kicking them around the waist and face and slapping them in the face, among other acts, up until March 2026. One of the victims was a 58-year-old male resident at the time.
On the 12th, the Matsuyama Labour Standards Inspection Office referred a 63-year-old woman, the de facto representative of Godo Kaisha Slow, a company operating a disability welfare service facility in Nishi-Ishii, Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, to the Matsuyama District Public Prosecutors Office. The company and the woman are suspected of violating Japan’s Minimum Wage Act by failing to pay an employee’s wages.
According to the bureau, at around 4:30 p.m. on May 19, a woman using an electric wheelchair attempted to board a bus at the Higashinada Ward Office bus stop in Kobe’s Higashinada Ward. The driver refused her request, citing overcrowding. In fact, only the front part of the bus was crowded, and the bureau determined that the driver had failed to assess the situation properly or ask other passengers for their cooperation.
According to the bureau, at around 4:30 p.m. on May 19, a woman using an electric wheelchair attempted to board a bus at the Higashinada Ward Office bus stop in Kobe’s Higashinada Ward. The driver refused her request, citing overcrowding. In fact, only the front part of the bus was crowded, and the bureau determined that the driver had failed to assess the situation properly or ask other passengers for their cooperation.
As a shortage of helpers supporting the daily lives of people with disabilities becomes increasingly severe, an emergency public meeting was held in Oita on August 11th, where supporters and others voiced their concerns over the difficult situation. According to the organizers, since the revision of long-term care service fees in 2024, service providers have been withdrawing from the sector and suspending services one after another. The groups said they plan to call on the national government to improve working conditions and take other measures to address the problem.
Efforts are underway in Kumamoto Prefecture to provide children with developmental and intellectual disabilities with places to stay during the day and relieve stress, after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the southwestern Japan prefecture late last month. At Asobi Studio Uki, an after-school daycare service facility in the city of Uki, the voices of elementary and junior high school students echoed through the building Friday. Some children relaxed by lying on balance balls, while others had their hair tied by staff members. During a game of team ball-toss, a boy on the losing team asked a staff member for another round.
Efforts are underway in Kumamoto Prefecture to provide children with developmental and intellectual disabilities with places to stay during the day and relieve stress, after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the southwestern Japan prefecture late last month. At Asobi Studio Uki, an after-school daycare service facility in the city of Uki, the voices of elementary and junior high school students echoed through the building Friday. Some children relaxed by lying on balance balls, while others had their hair tied by staff members. During a game of team ball-toss, a boy on the losing team asked a staff member for another round.
Kobe City confirmed three cases of abuse of people with disabilities at psychiatric hospitals in fiscal year 2025, with the hospitals required to submit improvement plans, the city said.
The Sendai city government said on Friday 7th August that it has suspended the designation of a disability welfare service provider for three months after finding that the operator improperly obtained its designation and received benefits despite failing to meet staffing requirements.
An event was held in Tokyo on the 6th, offering “children with medical needs” – who require daily medical support – and children with disabilities the chance to experience gaming through technology. Because “children with medical needs” wear medical devices such as ventilators on a daily basis, their opportunities to go out and participate in activities are limited. Around 60 families attended the event to try out games suitable for parents and children, such as a “giant ball rolling” game, as well as playing musical instruments by operating tablets with tiny bodily movements.
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) announced in a press release on August 5 that it has partnered with the upcoming film ‘Parallel and Vertical’ as part of a nationwide campaign to promote public understanding of developmental disabilities. The film directed by Seitaro Kobayashi and starring Shota Yasuda and Non, opens in cinemas across Japan on Aug. 28. The story follows the siblings as they confront a major turning point in their lives when the younger sister prepares to marry, prompting both to reconsider the nature of their lifelong bond.
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) announced in a press release on August 5 that it has partnered with the upcoming film ‘Parallel and Vertical’ as part of a nationwide campaign to promote public understanding of developmental disabilities. The film directed by Seitaro Kobayashi and starring Shota Yasuda and Non, opens in cinemas across Japan on Aug. 28. The story follows the siblings as they confront a major turning point in their lives when the younger sister prepares to marry, prompting both to reconsider the nature of their lifelong bond.
According to a 2025 survey conducted by the Nippon Foundation of 2,500 people with family members who have disabilities, 85.5 percent said they felt anxious about what would happen after the parents of a person with disabilities were no longer able to provide care, the TBS TV programme ‘Newsdig’ reported on August 3rd. Among families with members who have severe intellectual disabilities, nearly every household reported having such concerns.
At least 20,000 people with disabilities across 30 prefectures are waiting to enter residential care facilities or group homes (GHs) despite wishing to use them, a nationwide survey by Kyodo News found on Aug. 2. Seventeen prefectures said they either did not track waiting lists or did not disclose the figures, citing reasons such as the lack of a standardized method for compiling the data.
At least 20,000 people with disabilities across 30 prefectures are waiting to enter residential care facilities or group homes (GHs) despite wishing to use them, a nationwide survey by Kyodo News found on Aug. 2. Seventeen prefectures said they either did not track waiting lists or did not disclose the figures, citing reasons such as the lack of a standardized method for compiling the data.
As of Monday 3rd August, 38 people have died, 278 disability care homes were ‘affected’ and some ‘disaster-related deaths’ have sadly occurred. A total of 278 disability care facilities in Kumamoto Prefecture have been affected by the powerful earthquake that struck the region earlier this week, Kyodo reported on July 31, citing the Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry. A woman in her 70s died while sleeping in a car, apparently from heatstroke. Her death was judged potentially to be disaster-related, with the physical and mental strain of life as an evacuee among the possible causes.
The death toll from Tuesday’s powerful earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, has risen to 38 as two more deaths have been confirmed, the prefectural disaster response headquarters said Sunday. A woman in her 70s died while sleeping in a car, apparently from heatstroke. Her death was judged potentially to be disaster-related, with the physical and mental strain of life as an evacuee among the possible causes.
A nurse who worked at a disability support facility in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, filed a lawsuit claiming it was unlawful for the facility to dismiss them after they made a public-interest whistleblower report about problems at the facility. The Sakai branch of the Osaka District Court ruled that the dismissal was invalid, finding that it was intended to remove the nurse from the workplace, and ordered the facility to pay unpaid wages and damages. The court ordered the facility to pay the three plaintiffs a total of more than ¥20 million in unpaid wages, damages, and other compensation.
Two facilities in Kakamigahara that provide support for children with disabilities had their operating licenses revoked by Gifu Prefectural Government after they were found to have fraudulently received government benefit payments by falsely claiming they employed the required number of nursery teachers.
A total of 278 disability care facilities in Kumamoto Prefecture have been affected by the powerful earthquake that struck the region earlier this week, Kyodo reported on July 31, citing the Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry.
A total of 278 disability care facilities in Kumamoto Prefecture have been affected by the powerful earthquake that struck the region earlier this week, Kyodo reported on July 31, citing the Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry.
A nurse who worked at a disability support facility in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, filed a lawsuit claiming it was unlawful for the facility to dismiss them after they made a public-interest whistleblower report about problems at the facility. The Sakai branch of the Osaka District Court ruled that the dismissal was invalid, finding that it was intended to remove the nurse from the workplace, and ordered the facility to pay unpaid wages and damages. The court ordered the facility to pay the three plaintiffs a total of more than ¥20 million in unpaid wages, damages, and other compensation.
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.
“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.
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.
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.”
The ceremony was previously held at the Tsukui Yamayuri-en care home, but this year, it took place at a larger venue in Sagamihara to attract more attendees, according to the prefectural government, one of the organizers of the event. Kanagawa Governor Yuji Kuroiwa, bereaved family members and others connected with the facility took part.
“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…”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Barrier Free Japan