Bus driver refuses ride to passenger in wheelchair
“The driver told the company he regrets “making the wrong decision,” according to a Matsudo Shin-Keisei Bus official.”
Category: Disability
Kids’ cafeteria serves up meals, smiles while helping mentally ill
“The group “Aoitori” (“Bluebird”) has been running a free meal service called “Kishiwada Kodomo Shokudo” every fourth Saturday of the month to help children and other people in need, supporting patients who are hospitalized for lengthy periods in psychiatric wards, and making radio appearances to address various concerns.”
Japan to ease language requirements for foreign nursing care trainees
“The Japanese government plans to ease language requirements for foreign technical interns to work in the nursing care business as part of efforts to bring in more laborers from abroad…”
Movie ‘Detour’ including Sagamihara victims has limited release
“Detour’, a documentary movie about disabled people and their carers will be released on February 23rd 2019. It is reported that it will include interviews with victims of the Sagamihara stabbings that occurred in July 2016.”
’37 Seconds’ Film Trailer [Japanese with English subtitles]
“In 37 Seconds, 23-year-old comic book artist Yuma, physically disabled due to profound cerebral palsy and emotionally stunted by her well-meaning but overly protective mother, forges her own unusual path to sexual awakening and independence while at the same time discovering love and forgiveness.”
Japan OK’s iPS cell trial for treatment of spinal injuries
“The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry’s assessment committee on regenerative medicine approved Monday a clinical trial by Keio University’s team to transplant human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells into patients with spinal cord injuries.”
Swiftly create environment where disabled people can work stably [Yomiuri Shimbun Editorial]
“The important thing is to make preparations for accepting them. Should these new workers be hired on a massive scale and in a coercive manner, just to make up the numbers, it would be difficult for these individuals to settle into their new workplaces. It is a matter of course to aim at meeting the statutory hiring rate soon, but such endeavors should be advanced carefully, in keeping with workplace conditions.”
Japanese Designer Develops “Visually Readable” Braille
“A young Japanese designer has developed a set of letter designs to be printed on corresponding braille patterns of raised dots, in a bid to help those who do not use braille to understand the language for the visually impaired.
“I hope to bridge the worlds of the visually impaired and other people by using the same tool,” said Kosuke Takahashi, the 25-year-old designer from Tokyo.”
Disability group claims width mandated by Tokyo accessibility ordinance insufficient for wheelchairs
“In the group’s tests, which looked into whether wheelchair users could enter the bathroom without making contact with walls, most motorized wheelchairs failed while all the manual wheelchairs passed.”
Paralympic medalists check accessibility of 2020 Tokyo Games venue area
“”Just after exchanging greetings, however, basketball player Katsumi Miyake rushed back into the station. He returned sometime later and explained that the accessible washroom outside the gates was broken, so he had to use the one inside. There aren’t many bathrooms for wheelchair users so I can’t hesitate even if I have to go back in,” he said. Miyake’s remark hinted at a major challenge in improving the washroom situation at stations near venues.”
Barrier Free Japan 