As Golden Week approaches with Showa Day on April 29th, ‘Barrier Free Japan’ & ‘Disability News Japan’ has been busy! Here is a digest of recent news stories about disability issues in Japan.
On March 27, the Nippon Foundation announced an estimate that 364,000 young people between the ages of 20 and 25 have been diagnosed with developmental disorders. It said that 870,000 people believe that they have the disorder even though they have not been diagnosed. In order to understand the actual situation of young people who are unable to adapt to university life or job hunting, an online survey was conducted in November 2024. 17,398 people responded.
Publisher Mikasa Shobo released a press statement on April 18th addressing the criticisms of the book ‘Psychological Techniques to Skillfully Handle Difficult People in the Workplace’ by Yuko Kanda ahead of its publication on April 22nd.
Publisher Mikasa Shobo released a press statement on April 18th addressing the criticisms of the book ‘Psychological Techniques to Skillfully Handle Difficult People in the Workplace” by Yuko Kanda ahead of its publication on April 22nd.
A new book by the counselor Yuko Kanda, that categorizes people suffering from conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, depression, and trauma disorders as animals — and portrays them as “troublesome people in the workplace” — is drawing strong backlash for promoting discriminatory views. The book claims to be packed with “techniques for winning without fighting.”
Elderly visitors are struggling to look for pavilions on digital maps and make reservations online at the ongoing World Exposition in the western Japan city of Osaka. This has drawn complaints such as “I don’t know how to make reservations for pavilions,” and “I can’t get to places I want to go.”
A new book by the counselor Yuko Kanda that categorizes people suffering from conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, depression, and trauma disorders as animals — and portrays them as “troublesome people in the workplace” — is drawing strong backlash for promoting discriminatory views. The book claims to be packed with “techniques for winning without fighting.”
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.’
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.
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.
Barrier Free Japan