“”In 2035, one out of three people in Japan will be elderly, aged 65 or older. Barrier-free is an important perspective for urban development in Tokyo, where the number of elderly will increase,” Koike said in an interview with Jiji Press.”
“Two men were sentenced Tuesday to 12 months in prison each, suspended for three years, for professional negligence resulting in death, after a mentally disabled man died from heatstroke after being left in a welfare facility service vehicle for around six hours in 2017.”
“OSAKA — More than 80% of municipalities in three western Japan prefectures that saw high casualties in last summer’s torrential rain disaster have since failed to update or review the way they implement assisted evacuation lists for residents that would have difficulty fleeing on their own, such as the elderly or people with disabilities, a Mainichi Shimbun survey has shown.”
“Hotel operators in Tokyo have been slow to respond to the calls from the Japanese and Tokyo metropolitan governments to step up the introduction of barrier-free guest rooms ahead of the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics in the Japanese capital, leading to complaints by some wheelchair users that there are not enough rooms they can use. Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku, central Tokyo, is one exception.”
“A remark made by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a Group of 20 dinner that the installation of elevators at Osaka Castle was a “big mistake” has been criticized as lacking consideration for disabled people and especially inappropriate ahead of the Tokyo Paralympics next year.”
“A man temporarily arrested on suspicion of confining his eldest son, who has severe intellectual disabilities, has expressed mixed feelings about the incident in an interview with the Mainichi Shimbun.”
“A total of 66.3 percent of people with illnesses or disabilities in Japan said they have difficulties balancing work and treatment or working with their handicaps, a government report showed Tuesday, indicating a lack of workplace support for them.”
“An increasing number of prefectural governments and ordinance-designated major cities in Japan are expanding the scope of disabled people qualified to take exams for regular jobs at the public-sector offices to include those with mental or intellectual disabilities. Previously, the job exams had been available to people with physical disabilities.”
“With the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games fast approaching, Japanese broadcaster NHK has revealed a “four pledge” goal to provide their audience with high-quality services that would help shape the future of the public media of 2020 and beyond.”
“Taking a cue from soaring world prices for vanilla, a farm in Okinawa has started cultivating the valuable spice in an initiative aimed at boosting employment of disabled and low-income workers in Japan’s southernmost prefecture.”
Barrier Free Japan