Referring to “the case in which a mother killed her daughter with a severe disability,” Noburo Takachi mentioned the incident that occurred in Mobara, Chiba Prefecture. He noted that many opinions online say “the mother cannot be blamed,” creating an atmosphere suggesting it was unavoidable, referring to comments circulating on social media about the suspect.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department on the 10th referred a 46-year-old former employee of the disability support facility Takinogawa Gakuen Adult Division to prosecutors on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in death, over an incident last March in which he allegedly looked away from a man with an intellectual disability (48 at the time), leading to the man being struck and killed by a train at a railroad crossing in Kunitachi, Tokyo, investigative sources said.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department on the 10th referred a 46-year-old former employee of the disability support facility Takinogawa Gakuen Adult Division to prosecutors on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in death, over an incident last March in which he allegedly looked away from a man with an intellectual disability (48 at the time), leading to the man being struck and killed by a train at a railroad crossing in Kunitachi, Tokyo, investigative sources said.
Families of users of a disability care facility in Kawaguchi have voiced concern over the planned April 1 closure of the center, saying many clients still have no confirmed alternative placements. City officials said the decision was driven by rising welfare costs, noting that the annual designated management fees are about 4.04 million yen for the daily care facility and roughly 2.33 million yen for a related employment support center. The closure ordinance was approved by the municipal assembly with support from members of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, but families criticized the timeline as too short to arrange suitable transfers. The assembly has also urged the city government to take responsibility if alternative placements are not secured before the shutdown.
Hiroshima Prefecture announced on Feb. 27 that it will revoke the designation of four facilities in Etajima City, including “Popo Etajima,” which serve children with disabilities. The revocation, due to fraudulent claims by the operator, will take effect on April 1. The city of Kure also announced it will take similar action against three facilities in the city operated by the same company. The total amount of fraudulent claims is about 260 million yen, affecting 214 children. As they will no longer be able to use the services from April 1, the prefectural government and other authorities are coordinating alternative placements.
Hiroshima Prefecture announced on Feb. 27 that it will revoke the designation of four facilities in Etajima City, including “Popo Etajima,” which serve children with disabilities. The revocation, due to fraudulent claims by the operator, will take effect on April 1. The city of Kure also announced it will take similar action against three facilities in the city operated by the same company. The total amount of fraudulent claims is about 260 million yen, affecting 214 children. As they will no longer be able to use the services from April 1, the prefectural government and other authorities are coordinating alternative placements.
Kitakyushu City said it will revoke the designation of a Type B continuous employment support facility for people with disabilities in Yahatanishi Ward after its operator, based in Nakama, Fukuoka Prefecture, was found to have fraudulently claimed public support funds. According to the city, the company falsely reported that a full-time instructor was employed to improve participants’ wages in order to receive additional staffing payments between May and September last year, and also inflated attendance records for a user approved for services by another municipality, billing for more days than were actually attended. The revocation, under the Comprehensive Support for Persons with Disabilities Act, will take effect on March 31.
Tomoyoshi Aoki, a 51-year-old certified social worker from Saitama Prefecture, says he discovered that his former employer, ‘Nihon Remake’, which operates more than 10 group homes for people with disabilities in Saitama City, was overcharging residents for meal and other expenses and improperly claiming public reimbursements. After clashing with the company over how to address the issues, Aoki filed a whistleblower report with the prefectural government before resigning in late 2024. The prefecture later instructed the company to refund excess charges and return improperly received payments. In April 2025, however, the company sued Aoki at the Saitama District Court for about 41.3 million yen in damages, alleging he took accounting documents without authorization and disrupted operations. The case remains ongoing.
Tomoyoshi Aoki, a 51-year-old certified social worker from Saitama Prefecture, says he discovered that his former employer, Nihon Remake, which operates more than 10 group homes for people with disabilities in Saitama City, was overcharging residents for meal and other expenses and improperly claiming public reimbursements. After clashing with the company over how to address the issues, Aoki filed a whistleblower report with the prefectural government before resigning in late 2024. The prefecture later instructed the company to refund excess charges and return improperly received payments. In April 2025, however, the company sued Aoki at the Saitama District Court for about 41.3 million yen in damages, alleging he took accounting documents without authorization and disrupted operations. The case remains ongoing.
Three nurses, including Ryusuke Asakura, a 50-year-old former staff member at a municipal support center for people with severe disabilities in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, filed a lawsuit in 2024 alleging they were retaliated against for reporting abuse of residents. The trio say they alerted authorities in 2019 after their concerns were ignored internally, leading the city to acknowledge multiple cases of abuse, but claim they were subsequently subjected to lengthy home suspensions, dismissal and job transfers by the facility’s operator, prompting their legal action.
Barrier Free Japan