14 Staff Members Abused Residents at Gifu Disability Support Facility, Intake Suspended for Three Months

From NHK

July 23 2025

GIFU – In a prefectural facility for people with disabilities in Toki City, Gifu Prefecture, 14 care workers physically abused residents, including hitting them forcefully. In response, the prefecture has issued an administrative punishment, suspending the intake of new residents for three months.

The administrative penalty was issued to the Gifu Prefectural Welfare Foundation, which operates the disability support facility “Prefectural Hana-no-Kien” in Toki City.

According to the prefectural government, 14 male and female care workers in their 20s to 70s committed 40 acts of abuse against 18 residents between July and October of last year. These acts included forcefully hitting residents on the face or head for spilling food and kicking them in the legs while administering medication.

The abuse came to light after one worker was arrested in October last year for assaulting a male resident. A subsequent investigation by the prefecture and other authorities revealed multiple cases of abuse by different staff members.

On July 23, the prefecture announced an administrative penalty suspending the intake of new residents at the facility for three months starting in September.

Of the 14 staff involved, two workers—including the one arrested—were subjected to disciplinary action and later resigned voluntarily. The prefecture is also considering disciplinary measures against the remaining 12.

Morihiro Saitō, head of the Gifu Prefecture Division for Welfare of Persons with Disabilities, stated:

“We deeply apologize to the facility’s residents and their families. We sincerely regret causing a loss of public trust.”