Images show repeated abuse suspected at facility for people with disabilities in Aomori

By Barrier Free Japan, extract from The Mainichi

July 5 2025

Goshogawara city , Aomori – The Mainichi Shimbun has obtained images from a video showing residents at a facility for people with disabilities being slapped across the face. In another image, a resident is being struck.

Staff members at a support facility for people with disabilities in this northern Japan city are suspected to have abused residents, the Mainichi Shimbun has found.

The abusive behavior at the facility Eikouen in Goshogawara, Aomori Prefecture, is suspected to have occurred on a regular basis, and the city is currently working to confirm the details.

According to sources close to the matter, in mid-April, a female employee instructed a subordinate female care worker to prevent a female resident from standing up and moving around. The resident apparently had an intellectual disability that made it difficult to communicate. Staffers placed her in the dining hall in a wheelchair, and surrounded her using long table and chairs, effectively restraining her.

In another incident in August 2024, a male resident repeatedly knocked on the door of a room where several residents were gathered. A male staffer who was monitoring responded by punching the man in the face. In October 2024, a different worker was seen slapping the cheek of a male resident who shouted loudly while lying in bed. These incidents were confirmed by the Mainichi through photographs and videos.

The Goshogawara Municipal Government has already started conducting inquiries regarding the abuse allegations. The city’s welfare policy division commented, “We are continuing to confirm the facts. If the actions are deemed malicious, the prefecture will issue administrative guidance or other penalties based on the Act on the Prevention of Abuse of Persons with Disabilities and Support for Caregivers.”

Eikouen was established in 1991 and is operated by the social welfare corporation Aiseikai, led by chairperson Suzue Terada. The facility houses up to 40 residents and provides work support and other services for up to 20 non-residential users who commute from home.

Tatsuya Terada, the second son of Suzue Terada and the facility’s general director, who is also a member of the Aomori Prefectural Assembly, acknowledged in an interview with the Mainichi that the series of images and videos were taken inside the facility. He stated, “I was not aware of the situation and cannot make any irresponsible comments. Please allow me to look into it first.”