Fuchu City Care Home Abuse: Whistleblowers and Reports to the Government Ignored for Seven Years

By Barrier Free Japan, Kyodo News via Yahoo! Japan

July 17 2023

Fuchu City, TOKYO – The former vice president of a social welfare corporation in Fuchu City, Tokyo, had repeatedly abused mentally disabled patients for about 10 years. Kyodo News obtained an investigation report compiled by the corporation’s third-party committee. Although there have been a total of more than a dozen whistle-blowing and reports to the government, Fuchu City failed to recognize the abuse for about seven years. 

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has conducted an on-site inspection of a social welfare corporation operating facilities for the mentally disabled in Fuchu City, Tokyo, where abuse of users has been confirmed, and is planning to investigate its management system.

The inspection was conducted at two day-care facilities and one group home for the mentally disabled operated by the social welfare corporation “Seiyo-kai” which operates two workshops (each with a capacity of 30 people) and a group home for the intellectually disabled in Fuchu City. The corporation was originally established in 1989 by an association of parents of the mentally disabled.

“Something is not right”

Mr. and Mrs. Yukiyuki Kanenari of Fuchu City, whose eldest son (26), who has mental disabilities and autism, began attending Seiyo-kai’s work center in 2017. There were times when he would panic at the work shop and punch holes in the walls.

In response to the Kanenari’s complaint, who suspected abuse after communicating with the Seiyo-kai, Fuchu City asked Seiyo-kai to establish a third-party committee to investigate the matter. The committee was established in June 2021.

The third-party committee interviewed the user’s parents and staff, and compiled a report in March 2022. In May 2022, Seiyo-kai’s board chairman, Keiji Senda, met with Mr. and Mrs. Kanenari and explained that the report was “There was only psychological abuse, not physical abuse,” and not complaints about the staff.

“It’s okay because there’s no way I can talk to you at home anyway.”

However, Kyodo News obtained a copy of the report and confirmed its contents. The report also revealed a number of abuses, including slapping a user and saying, “I don’t even want to look at your face.” The third-party committee found the following abuse by the former vice-chairman. About 10 years ago, he slapped a patient who did not listen to him.

He assaulted the patient by twisting his arm, pushing him down, and holding his cheek with his hand. He made statements such as, “It’s okay because there’s no way I can talk to you at home anyway.”