Category: Barrier Free

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 24, 2026 1
Autism Barrier Free Disability Employment Japan

76% Don’t Disclose Disabilities or Diagnoses During Job Hunting, Nippon Foundation Survey Finds

A Nippon Foundation survey found on the 23rd that 76.5% of people diagnosed with developmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or with mental illnesses, said they had never disclosed their diagnosis during their job search. The main reason was concern that doing so would put them at a disadvantage, such as being rejected for a job. The survey targeted people who did not have a disability certificate and had sought employment through standard recruitment channels.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 19, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Discrimination Nagoya Barrier Free Podcast

Nagoya Castle Accessibility Debacle Continues [Podcast Episode]

Regarding the wooden reconstruction of the Nagoya Castle keep, Nagoya City is aiming to install a vertical lifting device, while disability organizations are calling for the installation of a large elevator. The two sides remain at odds, but Nagoya City says it hopes to present an overall plan for accessibility, including the lifting equipment, by February 2027.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 18, 2026 1
Disability Japan Discrimination Nagoya Barrier Free

Individual interviews with organizations representing people with disabilities regarding Nagoya Castle reconstruction begin

Regarding the wooden reconstruction of the Nagoya Castle keep, Nagoya City is aiming to install a vertical lifting device, while disability organizations are calling for the installation of a large elevator. The two sides remain at odds, but Nagoya City says it hopes to present an overall plan for accessibility, including the lifting equipment, by February 2027.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 14, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Discrimination Japan Podcast Travel

Written Warning Issued to ‘Hanshin Bus’ After Electric Wheelchair User Refused Boarding [Podcast Episode]

According to the bureau, at around 4:30 p.m. on May 19, a woman using an electric wheelchair attempted to board a bus at the Higashinada Ward Office bus stop in Kobe’s Higashinada Ward. The driver refused her request, citing overcrowding. In fact, only the front part of the bus was crowded, and the bureau determined that the driver had failed to assess the situation properly or ask other passengers for their cooperation.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 13, 2026 1
Barrier Free Disability Discrimination Hyogo Japan Travel

Written Warning Issued to ‘Hanshin Bus’ After Electric Wheelchair User Refused Boarding

According to the bureau, at around 4:30 p.m. on May 19, a woman using an electric wheelchair attempted to board a bus at the Higashinada Ward Office bus stop in Kobe’s Higashinada Ward. The driver refused her request, citing overcrowding. In fact, only the front part of the bus was crowded, and the bureau determined that the driver had failed to assess the situation properly or ask other passengers for their cooperation.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 29, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Discrimination Japan Mobility

Sapporo apologizes for lack of consultation before disability driver’s license subsidy cut

It has emerged that Sapporo City has informed disability organisations that it is “impossible” to reverse its decision to abolish, from April, a subsidy of up to ¥100,000 for people with physical disabilities to obtain a driver’s licence, after the city eliminated the programme without first consulting those affected. Disabled People International Japan has expressed concern that the cuts will further restrict the mobility of wheelchair users during the winter months, when snow and ice already make travel difficult.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 15, 2026 Number of comments0
Abilympics Barrier Free Disability Japan Podcast

‘Abilympics’ Held in Fukuoka [Podcast Episode]

The Abilympics Fukuoka 2026, a competition in which people with disabilities demonstrate and compete in vocational skills they have developed through their work and daily employment, was held in Kasuga, Fukuoka Prefecture, on July 11. The Abilympics are organized to help working people with disabilities improve their skills while also promoting greater understanding of the employment of people with disabilities. Competitors who achieved outstanding results qualified to compete at the National Abilympics, which will be held in Aichi Prefecture this December.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt June 20, 2026 1
Barrier Free Blind Disability Discrimination Election Japan

Miyazaki Disabled Man Gave Up on Voting After Mother’s Help Deemed Interference by Polling Station Staff

According to the city and other sources, the man requires assistance with walking and also has a visual impairment. He visited the polling station together with his mother. Because it took him some time to complete his ballot, his mother spoke to him while standing nearby. However, polling station staff judged her actions to constitute “voting interference,” which is prohibited under the Public Offices Election Act.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt June 12, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Japan Podcast QR Code Travel

JR East to Shift from Magnetic to QR Code Tickets in 2027 [Podcast Episode]

East Japan Railway Co., or JR East, said on Tuesday 9th June that it will discontinue magnetic short-distance tickets sold at all stations on its conventional lines and replace them with QR code tickets in spring 2027. While the current tickets are inserted into fare gates, the new tickets will require passengers to read QR codes on them at readers at the gates.