Category: Barrier Free

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 17, 2025 1
ADHD Autism Barrier Free Disability Education Japan Musashino Higashi Gakuen

Scandal-Hit ‘Inclusive’ Tokyo School Files Suit Against Parents Association and Reporter After Concerns Raised Over New Chairman

On April 15th, Musashino Higashi Gakuen, an educational corporation based in Tokyo renowned for its inclusive educational model, filed a lawsuit seeking 725.72 million yen in damages. The lawsuit names several defendants, including individuals affiliated with an association purporting to protect the school, parents and guardians of graduates from its advanced vocational school, along with a reporter from the ‘Weekly Bunshun.’

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 9, 2025 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Japan Travel

UK-Based Company ‘Transreport’ and Hankyu in Japan Collaborate to Improve Accessibility

Transreport is a UK-based accessibility technology company specializing in solutions that enhance travel experiences for disabled and older individuals. Their flagship product, the Passenger Assistance app, allows users to book assistance, communicate access needs, and provide feedback on public transport journeys.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 7, 2025 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Japan Mobility Technology Wheelchair

Japan startup to sell stair-climbing electric wheelchair in 2026

A Japanese startup will introduce an all-terrain electric wheelchair in 2026 that allows users to climb and descend stairs, and board trains and buses without assistance, with plans to develop a model that can navigate escalators. The wheelchair developed by Lifehub Inc., which normally drives on four wheels on flat surfaces, has caterpillar tracks to negotiate stairs, slopes and uneven ground.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 7, 2025 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Japan

U.N. Group Japan Chief Warns of Backlash against Women’s Rights

Efforts to improve women’s rights are facing a backlash globally after decades of progress, Hiroko Hashimoto, head of the UN Women Japan National Committee, said in a recent interview. This concern was highlighted on the 50th anniversary of International Women’s Day on March 8, when members of 13 national committees around the world that support the UN Women, including in Japan, marched backwards, Hashimoto said.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 4, 2025 2
ADHD Autism Barrier Free Japan Musashino Higashi Gakuen Podcast

‘Inclusive’ Tokyo School Chairman Not To Be Prosecuted Over Coercion of Schoolgirl & Barrier Free Japan in ‘Unseen Japan’ [Podcast Episode]

In 2024, at a vocational high school run by Musashino Higashi Gakuen in Musashino City, a male board chairman was sent for indictment on suspicion of coercion for forcing a female student, then in her third year, to write an apology letter. On the 2nd, the Tachikawa branch of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office announced that he would not be prosecuted. The decision is effective as of March 31, and no reasons have been disclosed.

And yes, Barrier Free Japan has been published in the online publication ‘Unseen Japan.’

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 3, 2025 2
Abuse Barrier Free Disability Education Japan Musashino Higashi Gakuen

Prosecutors Decide Not to Prosecute ‘Inclusive’ Tokyo School Chairman Over Coercion of Female Student

In 2024, at a vocational high school run by Musashino Higashi Gakuen in Musashino City, a male board chairman was sent for indictment on suspicion of coercion for forcing a female student, then in her third year, to write an apology letter. On the 2nd, the Tachikawa branch of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office announced that he would not be prosecuted. The decision is effective as of March 31, and no reasons have been disclosed.