Japan’s Education Ministry Discusses Support for Increasing Number of University Students with Disabilities

From The Asahi Shimbun

January 22 2024

TOKYO – Ahead of the revised Act on the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities coming into effect in April, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s expert panel drafted a report on the 22nd that summarizes the ideas and matters necessary for educational support for university students with disabilities. As the revised law is enacted, the provision of reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities, which was previously mandatory for national and public universities, will now become mandatory for private universities as well.

The number of students with disabilities is increasing. According to research by the Japan Student Services Organization, there will have been approximately 50,000 students in 2022, or 1.5% of all university students (including junior college and technical college students). It has increased approximately 3.7 times over the past 10 years. It is said that 80% of all universities have students with disabilities enrolled.

The report pointed out that it is necessary for all members to understand and work on the idea of the “social model of disability,” which states that disabilities do not lie with individuals with disabilities, but with society. It also includes not requiring supporting documentation as a “condition” for receiving reasonable accommodations, and having constructive dialogue with students to flexibly decide on accommodations.