Category: Barrier Free

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 23, 2024 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Entertainment Podcast Shog.A.I. Shimbun Wheelchair

Disability News Japan Podcast: The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #9: Social Media Responds to Wheelchair User’s Post about Cinema Access

The incident took place at an Aeon cinema in Tokyo, which is regularly used by Ryoko Nakajima, a wheelchair-using woman. TBS reported that: “The woman watched the movie not from the wheelchair-only space, but from a reclining seat with four steps.” When Ryoko Nakajima posted about this incident on social media, in which she said she would be refused admission to the cinema next time, it went viral. People on social media, or Social Network System (SNS) had a variety of opinions, here are some examples with the ‘poster’s’ name removed.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 22, 2024 1
Barrier Free Disability Entertainment Japan SNS Social Media Wheelchair

Social Media ‘X’ Responds to Wheelchair-User Ryoko Nakajima Posting About Tokyo Cinema Access Denial

An incident took place at an Aeon cinema in Tokyo, which is regularly used by Ryoko Nakajima, a wheelchair-using woman. TBS reported that: “The woman watched the movie not from the wheelchair-only space, but from a reclining seat with four steps.”

When Ryoko Nakajima posted about this incident on social media, in which she said she would be refused admission to the cinema next time, it went viral. People on social media, or Social Network System (SNS) had a variety of opinions, here are some examples with the ‘poster’s’ name removed.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 22, 2024 1
Barrier Free Disability Discrimination Entertainment Japan Wheelchair

(Update) Wheelchair User Denied Accessible Space at Tokyo Cinema, Aeon Cinema Company Apologizes and Social Media Responds

When Ryoko Nakajima posted about this incident on social media, in which she said she would be refused admission to the cinema next time, it went viral.

The next day, Aeon Entertainment, which operates the cinema chain, issued an apology:

“It has come to our attention that an Aeon Entertainment employee made an inappropriate comment to a customer while assisting the customer to move to another location after the customer had finished watching a movie. We regret the incident and believe that it was caused by a lack of guidance to our employees.”

There were various opinions floating around on social media with some making statements like:

“Everyone wants to choose their favorite seat.”

“Is it normal to request assistance outside of work?”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 21, 2024 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Entertainment Japan Podcast Shog.A.I. Shimbun Wheelchair

Disability News Japan Podcast: The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #8: Wheelchair User Denied Accessible Space at Tokyo Cinema

The Shog-A.I. Shimbun goes to the movies, sort of…An incident took place at a cinema in Tokyo, which is usually used by a woman in a wheelchair. TBS reported that: “The woman watched the movie not from the wheelchair-only space, but from a reclining seat with four steps.”
The woman paid an additional fee and watched the movie in a reclining seat, rather than in the wheelchair-only space.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 19, 2024 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Japan Podcast Shog.A.I. Shimbun

Disability News Japan Podcast: The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #6: The Spring Equinox Holiday Edition!

The Spring equinox, March 20th 2024 is a national holiday in Japan! There is sakura and a Shog-A.I. Shimbun episode! Today’s episode mentions an NPO in Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture that has begun an initiative to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities in the agricultural field. Michey Peckitt in A.I. mode also talks a bit about the derogatory language that is sometimes used in both LGBT+ and disability journalism.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 19, 2024 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Gender Japan Podcast Shog.A.I. Shimbun

Disability News Japan Podcast: The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #5: Japan Gender Identity Society Renamed to Avoid Medicalized Language

What was formerly the GID (Gender Identity Disorder) Society, which promotes research on transgender people whose minds and bodies do not match, officially announced at its general meeting held in Okinawa Prefecture on March 17th that it will change its name. The change, announced Sunday at its general meeting, is in line with the World Health Organization’s recent advice to use the term “gender incongruence” instead of “gender disorder.” The society’s new English name is yet to be formally decided.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 17, 2024 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Japan Podcast Shog.A.I. Shimbun

Disability News Japan Podcast: The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #4: McDonalds App Fail A Barrier to News Stories!

Ok, this is a bit of fun, but behind it are two serious points. Firstly since the term ‘shogai’ or ‘障害’ can mean ‘failure’, ‘obstacle’ as well as ‘disability’, the algorithm Gods of Google won’t quickly show up recent news stories about disability in Japan because everyone is talking about the McDonald’s App ‘fail’ that happened on Friday.

Secondly, a reliance on technology to accomplish tasks like buying food is also a concern for me as a person with disabilities.

I’m not always lovin’ it.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 7, 2024 1
Barrier Free Disability Internet Japan Technology

Websites in Japan becoming more friendly to people with disabilities 

Private business operators in Japan are gearing up to comply with upcoming legal requirements mandating “reasonable consideration” for people with disabilities.
Against this backdrop, an increasing number of organizations, both in the private and public sectors, are embracing solutions provided by a French startup. The solutions allow for adjustments to website design settings in line with users’ visual, motor and cognitive capabilities, facilitating a more comfortable browsing experience for people with disabilities.

Japan’s revised law on eliminating discrimination against people with disabilities is scheduled to take effect in April. Enacted in 2021, the law mandates that both the central and local governments, along with business operators, provide reasonable consideration to people with disabilities. Previously, business operators were required to make such efforts.