Abuse – Page 2 – Barrier Free Japan

by Michael Gillan Peckitt October 8, 2025 1

Mie Eyes Japan’s 1st Rule with Penalty against Customer Abuse

The Mie prefectural government plans to create what it says will be Japan’s first ordinance with a penalty aimed at deterring customers from behaving abusively to workers.The ordinance would define customer abuse as excessive nuisances that go beyond social norms and harm employees’ working environment. Vicious behavior, such as shouting to demand an apology, would be classified as designated customer abuse. When a business files a complaint of customer abuse, the prefectural government will ask a panel including lawyers to investigate and seek opinions. The perpetrator will be fined if the order is not observed. The fine is likely to be about 500,000 yen.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt October 2, 2025 0

Abuse Children Crime Education Japan Sexual abuse

Japanese Teacher Admits Sharing Child Pornography

Japanese elementary school teacher Fumiya Kosemura pleaded guilty to charges of sharing child pornography via social media, in the first hearing on his case at Nagoya District Court on Wednesday. The charges are “correct, and I’m very sorry,” said Kosemura, 37, a teacher at a public elementary school in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, who has been indicted for voyeurism and indecent assault. According to the indictment, Kosemura filmed secretly the underwear of a 7-year-old girl at a facility in Kanagawa and shared the video data within the group between January and February this year.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 30, 2025 1

Abuse Crime Disability Intellectual disabilities Japan

4 in Japan accused of robbing intellectually disabled man after forcing him to drink

Tokyo police have arrested four people on suspicion of robbing and abusing a man in his 40s with a mild intellectual disability after forcing him to drink large amounts of whisky, the Metropolitan Police Department said Sept. 26. The suspects — a 22-year-old company worker from Shizuoka Prefecture, a 24-year-old woman from Tokyo, a 21-year-old university student from Hokkaido, and a 19-year-old male restaurant worker — allegedly met the victim through social media and conspired to exploit his condition. Police said the four made the man drink over 700 milliliters of whisky in Tokyo’s Nakano Ward in June, stole his smartphone and used about 100,000 yen in electronic money. They also filmed the incident, which included acts of sexual humiliation, and later abandoned the victim near his home and again in Shizuoka Prefecture. All four have admitted to the allegations, according to the police.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 13, 2025 0

Abuse Care Disability Japan Sexual abuse

One in Three Sex Crimes Against Disabled Victims Committed by Carers, Japan’s Justice Ministry Report Finds

One in three sexual assaults against people with disabilities were committed by carers or other support staff, a Justice Ministry survey has found. The report, covering cases from 2018 to 2022, said 74 percent of victims had intellectual disabilities, including moderate, severe and mild cases, while 19 percent had developmental disabilities. Only 36.5 percent of victims with intellectual disabilities recognized they were being abused, and more than a third never reported the assaults. The ministry called for measures such as installing cameras in facilities and reducing one-on-one contact between carers and disabled individuals.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 12, 2025 0

Abuse Children Disability Japan

Child Abuse Deaths Total 65 in Japan in FY 2023

The number of children who died from abuse totaled 65 in Japan in fiscal 2023, down by seven from the preceding year, an expert panel of the Children and Families Agency said Thursday. Excluding family suicide cases, the figure came to 48. Of them, 33 died before reaching 1 year old, including 16, who passed away within 24 hours after birth, up by seven. Most of their mothers were not given maternal and child health handbooks, and local governments were therefore unaware of their pregnancies, according to the government agency.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 9, 2025 2

Abuse Care Crime Disability Japan

38-Year-Old Woman Dies at Disability Facility After Bath at 50°C Causes Burns, Police Investigate Possible Negligence

A 38-year-old woman with disabilities died after suffering severe burns while bathing at the Hitakami-en facility in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, police revealed. Kana Abe developed extensive skin damage following staff-assisted bathing in 2022, and later died in hospital from respiratory failure caused by burns covering 60 percent of her body. A facility report suggested the bathwater temperature was about 50 degrees Celsius. Police are investigating the incident on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in death.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 8, 2025 0

Abuse Disability Employment Japan Podcast

Abuse of Workers with Disabilities by Employers in Japan Fell by 1.5% in Fiscal Year 2024 [Podcast Episode]

Japan’s Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry reported a slight decline in the number of disabled workers found to be abused by employers in fiscal 2024, even as reports of suspected cases increased. A total of 1,827 workers were the subject of abuse reports, down 1.5% from the previous year, while confirmed cases involved 652 people across 434 workplaces, a 14.3% drop. Most cases involved economic exploitation, such as unfair pay, with part-time and temporary workers most affected. Intellectual disabilities were the most common among victims. Labor bureaus responded mainly with guidance under labor laws, including the Minimum Wage Act.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 7, 2025 0

Abuse Care Crime Disability Intellectual disabilities Japan

Former Nagasaki care worker admits assaulting three disabled people, says they “irritated” him

A former employee of a disability support facility in Nagasaki has been indicted for assaulting three residents with intellectual and physical disabilities, with prosecutors seeking an eight-month prison sentence at the Nagasaki District Court. The 49-year-old defendant admitted to striking the residents in the head and face, telling the court he became “irritated” when they did not listen to him. Prosecutors presented security footage showing the assaults and argued the violence had become habitual, while the defense sought a suspended sentence. A verdict is scheduled for October 1.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 5, 2025 1

Abuse Disability Employment Japan

Abuse of Disabled Workers by Employers in Japan Fell by 1.5% in FY2024

Japan’s Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry reported a slight decline in the number of disabled workers found to be abused by employers in fiscal 2024, even as reports of suspected cases increased. A total of 1,827 workers were the subject of abuse reports, down 1.5% from the previous year, while confirmed cases involved 652 people across 434 workplaces, a 14.3% drop. Most cases involved economic exploitation, such as unfair pay, with part-time and temporary workers most affected. Intellectual disabilities were the most common among victims. Labor bureaus responded mainly with guidance under labor laws, including the Minimum Wage Act.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 27, 2025 0

Abuse Care Disability Japan Podcast

Former Director Accused of Abuse at Kochi Disability Employment Support Facility [Podcast Episode]

It has come to light through interviews with the organization operating a disability employment support facility in Aki City that the former executive director was certified by a regional union as having committed abuse, such as kicking a chair used by a facility user. The organization in question is Kochi Kizuna Farm, a general incorporated association that operates employment support facilities for people with disabilities in Aki City and Ino Town. According to the organization, the regional union conducted interviews with staff and others after receiving information that abuse was taking place at the facility in Aki City. The investigation confirmed that the former executive director, a man in his 50s, had kicked a user’s chair and that a life support worker at the facility had also kicked a user. In addition, the facility was recognized for its role in preventing recidivism by accepting individuals with criminal records and was awarded a commendation by the Prime Minister last year.