Japan’s Disability Welfare Service Businesses May Face Significant Reduction in Remuneration

Extract from NHK

March 14 2024

OSAKA –  The remuneration paid by Japan’s  Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to “welfare service offices for persons with disabilities” will be revised in April, and at some businesses, the remuneration will be paid according to the amount of time users receive services. Some of the businesses that may see a significant decrease in remuneration have voiced their concerns that they will not be able to continue their business, and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is considering how to respond to this issue.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare reviews the remuneration paid to “welfare service businesses for persons with disabilities” that provide daily living care and training for independence every three years, and this time the remuneration will be revised again in April.

In order to make the remuneration more in line with actual conditions, the remuneration will now be paid according to the time users receive services. However, some businesses have voiced concerns that this may result in a significant decrease in remuneration.

An Osaka-based organization for people with disabilities has demanded that the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare take action in response to a survey of 10 facilities in Osaka Prefecture that provide daily living care for the mentally disabled, which showed that remuneration was expected to decrease by 30 to 50 percent.

In response to these requests, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare plans to make certain considerations for establishments that accept people who can only use the service for a limited number of hours, and will consider how to respond by the end of March.