“I didn’t know where to get on”: Japanese Lawmaker with ALS inspects train service ahead of Paralympics

Written with extracts translated from TV Asahi

Januarty 14th 2020

Yasuhiko Funago, A member of the House of Councilors, and of the political party Reiwa Shinsengumi, took a train for the first time in ten years and inspected whether a disabled person could get from JR Tokyo Station to Sendagaya Station, the nearest station to the National Stadium. It is said that the station staff guided the vehicle without using a wheelchair space.

Mr. Funago’s, who has ALS, said via his assistant: “I didn’t know where to get on and I didn’t know there was a wheelchair space.”

Funago also visited the Paralympic marathon course and pointed out that the sidewalk is narrow to support along the road. Mr Funago will ask for improvements at the regular Diet session starting on the 20th.