Latest Posts

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 21, 2026 Number of comments0
Crime Disability Intellectual disabilities Japan

Criminal Psychologist Says Defendant in Assault Trial Has “mild intellectual disability”

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.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 21, 2026 Number of comments0
Abuse Care Disability Japan Podcast Welfare

Kyoto Man with Disabilities Left Alone for 2½ Hours While Caregiver Played Pachinko [Podcast Episode]

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 20, 2026 1
Abuse Disability Japan

Kyoto Man with Disabilities Left Alone for 2½ Hours While Caregiver Played Pachinko

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 19, 2026 Number of comments0
Care Disability Japan Welfare

Mother Talks About Facing the ‘18-Year-Old Wall’ with a Child with Disabilities

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 19, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Discrimination Japan Nagoya Podcast

Nagoya Castle Accessibility Debacle Continues [Podcast Episode]

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 18, 2026 1
Disability Japan Discrimination Nagoya Barrier Free

Individual interviews with organizations representing people with disabilities regarding Nagoya Castle reconstruction begin

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 17, 2026 Number of comments0
Abuse Disability Hyogo Japan Podcast Police

Complaint Filed Over Death of 16-Year-Old Hyogo Girl Following Arrest, Interrogation [Podcast Episode]

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 15, 2026 1
Abuse Disability Hyogo Japan Police

Complaint Filed Over Death of 16-Year-Old Girl Following Arrest, Interrogation

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 14, 2026 Number of comments0
Abuse Care Crime Disability Hokkaido Japan

Prosecutors seek 18 months for ex Kushiro care worker accused of assaulting 4 residents

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 14, 2026 Number of comments0
Crime Disability Japan Welfare

Matsuyama disability welfare operator referred to prosecutors over unpaid wages for 10 of 11 months

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 14, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Discrimination Japan Podcast Travel

Written Warning Issued to ‘Hanshin Bus’ After Electric Wheelchair User Refused Boarding [Podcast Episode]

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 13, 2026 1
Barrier Free Disability Discrimination Hyogo Japan Travel

Written Warning Issued to ‘Hanshin Bus’ After Electric Wheelchair User Refused Boarding

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 12, 2026 Number of comments0
Care Disability Japan Welfare

Oita’s people with disabilities voice concerns as care providers close amid helper shortage

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 12, 2026 Number of comments0
Children developmental disabilities Disability Disasters Earthquake Japan Kumamoto Podcast Typhoon

Children with Disabilities Offered Places to Feel at Ease in Quake-Hit Kumamoto [Podcast Episode]

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 10, 2026 1
developmental disabilities Disability Disasters Earthquake Intellectual disabilities Japan Kumamoto

Children with Disabilities Offered Places to Feel at Ease in Quake-Hit Kumamoto

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 7, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Gaming Japan Technology

Children with Special Medical Needs and Disabilities Experience Latest Gaming Tech at Tokyo Event

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 7, 2026 Number of comments0
developmental disabilities Film Japan Podcast

Japan health ministry teams up with film to promote understanding of developmental disabilities [Podcast Episode]

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 6, 2026 1
developmental disabilities Disability Japan

Japan health ministry teams up with film to promote understanding of developmental disabilities

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 5, 2026 Number of comments0
Care Disability Intellectual disabilities Japan

85% of Families of People with Disabilities in Japan Express Concern Over ‘after the parents are gone’ Issue

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 5, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Disasters Earthquake Group Homes (GH) Japan Podcast Welfare

More than 20,000 People with Disabilities in Japan Waiting for Care Facilities Across 30 Prefectures, Kumamoto quake updates [Podcast Episode]

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 4, 2026 1
Care Disability Group Homes (GH) Japan Welfare

More than 20,000 People with Disabilities in Japan Waiting for Care Facilities Across 30 Prefectures; Government Lacks Comprehensive 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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 4, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Disasters Earthquake Japan Kumamoto Podcast

Update One Week After Kumamoto Earthquake [Podcast Episode]

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 3, 2026 1
Disability Disasters Earthquake Japan Kumamoto

Death Toll from Kumamoto Quake Rises to 38

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 3, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Nursing Care Podcast

Sakai District Court Rules Dismissal of Whistleblower Nurse at Disability Facility Invalid [Podcast Episode]

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 31, 2026 1
Abuse Care Disability Japan Nursing Care

Sakai District Court Rules Dismissal of Whistleblower Nurse at Disability Facility Invalid

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.

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.