After Cases of Abuse are Discovered, Hiroshima Support Facility for Children with Disabilities Faces Administrative Action

From NHK

August 18 2025

HIROSHIMA – In Hiroshima City, at a support facility that takes care of children with disabilities, abuse such as hitting a child on the buttocks was found to have occurred. In addition, improper receipt of benefit payments was confirmed. As a result, the city has taken administrative action, including revoking the operator’s authorization.

The facility subject to the administrative action is “Watakko Club,” located in Saeki Ward, Hiroshima City, operated by the organization “Wata no Hana,” which provided after-school care services for children with disabilities.

According to the city, the facility’s administrator committed acts of abuse, including hitting children on the buttocks and applying professional wrestling moves on them.

Furthermore, the operator falsified staffing conditions to appear as though it met the requirement of having full-time employees necessary for providing the service, and in doing so, fraudulently received approximately 27 million yen in benefit payments. On the 18th, Hiroshima City revoked the operator’s authorization.

In addition, the operator similarly fraudulently received about 2 million yen at a facility in Hatsukaichi City. For this, Hiroshima Prefecture also imposed an administrative penalty on the 18th, suspending the operator’s designation for six months.