50 Workers with Disabilities in Japan Lose Jobs After Nine Months, Despite 18-Month Contract

From The Yomiuri Shimbun via Yahoo! Japan

October 11 2026

TOKYO – Around 50 disabled people employed by a subsidiary of Ain Holdings, a major dispensing pharmacy operator listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market and headquartered in Sapporo, effectively had their employment terminated after just nine months for reasons attributable to the company, according to interviews with people familiar with the matter.

The workers had been told by an employment support provider, which arranges workplaces for disabled people through a scheme known as the “disability employment business”, that they would be participating in an 18-month programme. Some were so shocked by the news that they became unable to continue working.

It is unusual for as many as 50 disabled workers to have their employment terminated simultaneously after the planned period was shortened. Despite being their direct employer, the subsidiary said it had not been told by the provider about the “18-month” arrangement. The incident may highlight problems with some disability employment businesses that leave matters such as workplace management entirely to external providers.

The subsidiary is Craft, based in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward, which operates the Sakura Pharmacy chain nationwide. Ain Holdings acquired the company in August last year.

According to people familiar with the matter, Craft hired approximately 50 disabled workers in October, through an introduction by Thanks Lab, a disability employment business based in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture. The workers were employed by Craft and one of its subsidiaries. They worked either at Thanks Lab’s offices or from home.

Before starting work, the workers had been told by Thanks Lab that they would take part in a “Career Development Plan”, under which they would receive 18 months of training tailored to employers’ needs.

Their employment documents specified an initial contract period of six months, with renewal described as “possible” and no upper limit set on the number of renewals.

However, in early March this year, shortly before the contracts were due for renewal, a Thanks Lab representative informed the workers that their next employment period would be just three months and that their employment would end at the end of June. The new contracts stated that there would be “no” further renewal.

A man in his 40s with a mental disability said he had expected to work for at least 18 months, with contracts renewed every six months. The shock of the announcement left him unable to attend work, and he resigned shortly afterwards.

In response to questions from reporters, Craft said the decision to end the employment had been made because it had become clear that Ain Holdings’ policy was for disabled employees to work in the same environment as other employees. Craft also revealed that it was considering rehiring those who had left.

Thanks Lab said: “As this concerns contracts between our company’s clients and their employees, we will refrain from commenting.”