Association for the Promotion of Employment for Persons with Disabilities Establishes Certification System, Aims for Healthy Industry Development

From The Fukushi Shimbun

July 15 2025

TOKYO – The Japan Association of Business Operators for the Promotion of Employment for Persons with Disabilities (JAPED), an organization whose members are companies involved in the disability employment business (Chairman: Kenji Nishimura, Representative Director of Start Line), has established the “Qualified Business Operator Certification System for Disability Support Services.” Member companies will self-inspect their business operations using 107 questionnaire items, and if approved by the review committee, they will receive a certificate. The system aims to foster the healthy development of the industry and improve service quality.

The disability employment business involves providing farms and satellite offices to companies (user companies) and supporting the recruitment and management of persons with disabilities who work there. As of the end of November 2024, there are 39 such companies. Over 1,500 user companies and more than 9,000 persons with disabilities are employed by these user companies. Both figures are increasing in line with the gradual rise in the disability employment rate.

However, there are also negative opinions, suggesting that persons with disabilities do not find fulfillment in their work, and that this business merely serves as a means for user companies to achieve their disability employment quotas. Chairman Nishimura stated, “It’s true that some companies want to employ persons with disabilities without much effort, but it’s difficult for individual member companies to improve this on their own. We believe that by working together as an industry, a self-purifying effect will take hold.”
The questionnaire items include questions such as “Do you encourage user companies not to impose disadvantageous conditions on persons with disabilities during recruitment and hiring?” and “Do you support user companies in their efforts to develop the professional skills of persons with disabilities?” Respondents answer with “Yes” or “No.”

The self-inspection will be conducted for three months starting in June, and certificates are expected to be issued as early as this year. The association was established in October 2023 and currently has 16 regular members and 2 supporting members.