Category: Care

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 26, 2025 Number of comments0
Care Crime Disability Japan Podcast Sexual abuse

Former Niigata NPO employee sentenced to 14 years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman with a disability [Podcast Episode]

On February 19th, the Niigata District Court handed down a sentence of 14 years in prison to a former employee of an organization, who was charged with crimes including sexually assaulting and injuring a woman with a disability while transporting her in Sanjo City. The court ruled that “he repeatedly committed the crime, taking advantage of the fact that the victim could not resist, which is despicable.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 7, 2025 Number of comments0
Care Japan Nursing Care

Japan to Allow Foreigners to Engage in Home Care Services

The Japanese government Thursday presented to an experts panel a plan to allow foreign nationals to engage in home care services under the country’s specified skilled worker program as part of efforts to alleviate severe labor shortages. The government also proposed easing regulations so that more foreigners can work in the restaurant industry and at manufacturers of industrial products, which are also struggling with manpower shortages.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 24, 2025 Number of comments0
Care COVID-19 Disability Influenza Japan Podcast

As Influenza Cases Increase in Japan, Facilities for People with Intellectual Disabilities Struggle [Podcast Episode]

As influenza and COVID-19 infections spread, facilities for people with disabilities are also struggling to respond. Facilities for people with severe intellectual disabilities have found it difficult to take precautions, and there have been cases of infections spreading among users and staff. At a residential facility for people with disabilities in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, is home to 40 people, including those with severe intellectual disabilities. The Director of the Saitama facility, Takahashi Minoru said: “We took sufficient precautions, but the infection spread so quickly that we’ve come to realize how contagious it is. Some of our users have epilepsy, and a high fever can lead to severe seizures. we would be grateful for any support.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 13, 2025 Number of comments0
Care Children Day Care Service Disability Japan Podcast

Japan’s parents of children with disabilities face “18-year-old wall”, forced to quit jobs to care for children [Podcast Episode]

The Association of Parents Who Work While Raising Children with Disabilities and Children with Medical Care held a press conference at the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare on December 17, 2024. When children turn 18 and graduate from special-needs schools, they can no longer receive after-school day care services, which are available until around 6 pm. The majority of these services end around 3:00 p.m., forcing parents to leave their jobs to watch over and care for their children. Some parents refer to this the “18-year-old barrier”.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 11, 2025 Number of comments0
Care Disability Intellectual disabilities Japan Welfare

Parents of children with disabilities in Japan face “18-year-old wall”, forced to quit jobs to care for children

The Association of Parents Who Work While Raising Children with Disabilities and Children with Medical Care held a press conference at the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare on December 17, 2024. When children turn 18 and graduate from special-needs schools, they can no longer receive after-school day care services, which are available until around 6 pm. The majority of these services end around 3:00 p.m., forcing parents to leave their jobs to watch over and care for their children. Some parents refer to this the “18-year-old barrier”.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 8, 2025 Number of comments0
2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake Care Disability Earthquake Elderly Japan

Ishikawa Prefecture Investigates Deaths of Elderly from “indirect causes” One Year After Noto Earthquake [Podcast Episode]

Concerns have been raised about the deaths of elderly people who died of “indirect causes” after they were evacuated, dying at care facilities. Jiji Press reported that as of Wednesday 25th December 2024 that “22 of 176 elderly evacuees from Ishikawa had died at elderly care facilities or elsewhere in Toyama, according to the Toyama Prefectural Government. In Aichi, 16 of 68 such evacuees died at care facilities or hospitals.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 27, 2024 Number of comments0
Abuse Care Disability Elderly Japan

Elderly abuse at facilities in Japan up 30% to record high, over 1,000 cases, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare Reports

In fiscal year 2023, the number of cases in which elderly individuals were abused by staff at care facilities increased by 31.2% compared to the previous year, reaching 1,123 cases, according to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare released on the 27th. This marks the third consecutive year of record-high figures and the first time the number has exceeded 1,000 since the survey began in fiscal year 2007.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 19, 2024 Number of comments0
Care Disability Japan Medical

Kanagawa Prefecture holds first meeting considering measures to address medical issues at sister facility to ‘Sagamihara Massacre’ care home

The first meeting of the “Medical and Health Management Issues Reform Committee,” which will consider measures to address high health risks for residents of Nakai Yamayuri En (Nakai Town), a prefectural facility for the intellectually disabled, was held on December 18th at the prefectural office in Naka Ward, Yokohama. As investigations into cases of abuse of residents at the facility progress, issues such as residents not receiving appropriate medical care have emerged. At the beginning of the meeting, Governor Yuji Kuroiwa said, “A new issue of medical gaps has come to light. We would like to position this as part of the reform of Nakai Yamayuri En.” ‘Nakai Yamayuri En’ is ran by the same company that manages the ‘Tsukui Yamayuri En’ care facility where, in the early hours of July 26th 2016, a former employee broke in and killed 19 residents between the ages of 19 and 70 with a knife, injuring 26 others.