In First for the Prefecture, Nagano Government Revokes ‘Designated’ Status of Company Providing Employment Support for Disabled over Abuse

From NHK

August 22 2023

NAGANO – Nagano prefecture has taken administrative action to revoke the designation of a corporation operating an employment support facility for persons with disabilities in Ueda City, on the grounds that it had repeatedly abused several users.

This is the first time that the prefecture has revoked the designation of a business that provides support to persons with disabilities.

The administrative action to revoke the designation was taken against the general incorporated association Silkworm City, which operates the Employment Support Centre Santo, an employment support facility for persons with disabilities in Ueda City.

According to prefectural audits and interviews, in July last year, a male employee and others at the “Labour Support Centre San” beat a male user and injured him, and the same male employee repeatedly abused another user by hitting and kicking him.

The director of the corporation had been giving false answers to the prefectural government’s investigations.

For this reason, on 22nd, the prefecture issued an administrative action to revoke the designation of the corporation at the end of this month.

This is the first time that the designation of a business that provides support to people with disabilities has been revoked.
The prefecture said: ‘A serious case has occurred and we take this very seriously. We would like to give guidance to facilities that are not taking steps to prevent abuse”.