Sanseito Leader Kamiya Claimed Developmental Disabilities “do not exist” in 2022 Pamphlet

By Barrier Free Japan

July 22 2025

TOKYO – Sohei Kamiya, founder and prominent figure of the right-wing political party Sanseito, faced criticism from disability rights groups and medical experts in the lead up to the election after remarks made in a party-published booklet that denied the existence of developmental disabilities resurfaced.

In the 2022 booklet Sanseito Q&A Book – Basics, Kamiya wrote, “If you provide the exact same education as for typical children, there’s no problem. Actually, developmental disabilities simply do not exist.” The booklet likened neurodevelopmental differences to personality quirks, using fictional characters from Doraemon as examples.

Disability advocacy organizations including the Japan Autism Society and the Japan Developmental Disability Network condemned the statement as “completely false and harmful,” citing international diagnostic standards such as the WHO’s ICD and the American DSM-5, as well as Japan’s own Act for Comprehensive Support for Persons with Developmental Disabilities.

“Developmental disabilities are not a matter of opinion,” a representative from the Autism Society stated. “They are well-established medical and legal categories. To deny them is to deny the lived reality of countless individuals and families.”

Following the backlash, Kamiya acknowledged that the booklet had been produced in haste and has since been withdrawn from distribution. However, he has not formally retracted the claim that developmental disabilities do not exist.

Experts warn that such rhetoric may violate Japan’s anti-discrimination laws and could fuel stigma against people with disabilities.

Sanseito has not issued an official party-wide clarification.