Asking her first question at the Diet, Disabled lawmaker Eiko Kimura highlights accessibility issues at public facilities in Japan

Written with extracts from The Yomiuri Shimbun &  NHK

November 5th 2019

Eiko Kimura, a member of the Reiwa Shinsengumi political party, who has a severe disability, asked her first question at the National Land Transportation Committee on November 5th. Kimura, who was elected for the first time in the Summer, at House of Councilors election, faced the first question at the House of Councilors Land Transportation Committee on the 5th, and gave her opinion to the government about making public facilities barrier-free.

Sitting in a wheelchair, Ms. Kimura spoke about the government’s policy regarding the maintenance of toilets compatible with wheelchairs and the barrier-free access of shelters, with the help of assistants.

Ms. Kimura pointed out that “There are various barriers such as working and disaster prevention for people with disabilities to live in the community.” “I ask a question from a disabled person’s point of view to improve”.

When Kimura inquired about increasing the number of toilets that can be used by people with disabilities using wheelchairs, at refuge facilities in the event of a disaster, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of expressed his willingness to consider the idea.

After the committee, Ms. Kimura told reporters, “I wanted to know the current situation of people with disabilities.”