Barriers for people with disabilities persist in Japan’s Universities despite reforms

By Barrier Free Japan

May 21 2026

TOKYO – Structural barriers and entrenched biases continue to limit opportunities for students with disabilities in Japan’s university system, even as legal frameworks and support measures have expanded in recent years, experts say.

A key issue lies in so-called “disqualification clauses,” legal provisions that restrict access to certain qualifications or professions based on factors such as disability, age or criminal history. Although some revisions have been made amid criticism that blanket exclusions may be discriminatory, provisions remain in place, particularly affecting individuals with mental disabilities.

These rules continue to shape institutional attitudes, especially in fields requiring practical training such as medicine, pharmacy and nursing. A persistent perception that people with disabilities are unable to perform such roles has slowed the development of adequate support systems, particularly at public universities, which often host large medical faculties.

Speaking to the magazine ‘Aera digital’, Tsubasa Tonooka, Representative Director, of the National Center for Disabled Students Support said:

“Even after revisions [to laws], biases persist, especially in fields like medicine, pharmacy, and nursing that involve practicums. There remains a belief that people with disabilities cannot perform these jobs. Public universities often have many medical faculties, and such biases may hinder the development of support systems for students with disabilities. Universities are therefore required to overcome these biases, which is a complex challenge.”

The issue has gained urgency following the 2024 revision of the law mandating reasonable accommodations at private universities. While the change is expected to curb overtly discriminatory practices, some observers warn of more subtle forms of exclusion.

In some cases, universities may formally accept students with disabilities but emphasize limitations in available support, effectively pressuring applicants to withdraw voluntarily. Advocates describe such practices as a form of “disability harassment.”

Unlike sexual harassment or power harassment, however, disability harassment lacks a clear legal definition in Japan, creating what critics call a loophole in existing legislation.

Experts argue that without clearer standards and enforcement mechanisms, disparities in access to higher education for students with disabilities are likely to persist, despite broader policy efforts to promote inclusion.