Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori Causes Controversy With Comments About Walking Canes

Extract from The Mainichi Shimbun

October 29 2022

KANAZAWA – Former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori (85) gave a speech at a ceremony held in Kanazawa City on 29thOctober to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of Kanazawa Medical University, where he mentioned that he uses a walking stick and said: ‘When I use a stick, I look like a disabled person and people take good care of me. The comment could be seen as an attempt to ridicule the disabled and is likely to cause controversy.

Mr Mori is an advisor at Kanazawa Medical University and attended as a guest of honour. He also said that the rehabilitation under the guidance of doctors is proving to be quite effective and that he no longer needs a cane.