Category: Disability

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 11, 2025 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Discrimination Japan Nagoya Podcast Tourism

Discriminatory Comments Over Nagoya Castle Accessibility Towards Wheelchair User Prompts Mayor to Apologize [Podcast Episode]

Nagoya Mayor Hirosawa has apologized to disability groups for discriminatory comments made at a June 2023 public forum on barrier-free access in the planned wooden reconstruction of Nagoya Castle’s main keep. At the meeting, a wheelchair user’s request for an elevator was met with remarks such as “endure it” and “don’t confuse equality with selfishness,” along with a derogatory term, drawing applause from some attendees. Then-Mayor Kawamura and city officials present did not intervene, prompting public outrage. Following a review, the city pledged human rights training for staff, formal apologies, and measures to prevent a recurrence. Hirosawa said the city will work to balance historical authenticity with accessibility in the reconstruction plan.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 10, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Disasters Elderly Japan Podcast

Heavy Rain in Southwestern Japan, Flood Damage Assessment Underway [Podcast Episode]

Officials of Kirishima City in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima, Japan, where many homes were flooded due to record rain on Friday, have begun inspecting the damage caused by the downpour. In the city, heavy rain emergency warnings were issued temporarily on Friday and many homes suffered flood damage. But details, such as the number of affected houses, are not yet known. A resident in his 70s whose home was flooded above the floor level said, “When I looked outside, the water came up to the height of my chest.”
He added, “I took a day off from work on Friday to dispose of furniture that was submerged in water.” A Kirishima city official says they will conduct a thorough inspection so that affected homes can be quickly restored. The inspections will continue on Sunday.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 9, 2025 1
Barrier Free Disability Discrimination Japan Nagoya

Discriminatory Comments Over Nagoya Castle Accessibility Towards Wheelchair User Prompts Mayor to Apologize

Nagoya Mayor Hirosawa has apologized to disability groups for discriminatory comments made at a June 2023 public forum on barrier-free access in the planned wooden reconstruction of Nagoya Castle’s main keep. At the meeting, a wheelchair user’s request for an elevator was met with remarks such as “endure it” and “don’t confuse equality with selfishness,” along with a derogatory term, drawing applause from some attendees. Then-Mayor Kawamura and city officials present did not intervene, prompting public outrage. Following a review, the city pledged human rights training for staff, formal apologies, and measures to prevent a recurrence. Hirosawa said the city will work to balance historical authenticity with accessibility in the reconstruction plan.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 9, 2025 Number of comments0
Blind Disability Japan Travel

23,000 Sign Petition Demanding Safety Reforms After Death of Blind Woman at JR Tsukumi Station

A disability rights group has submitted over 23,000 signatures to JR Kyushu, urging an investigation and stronger safety measures following the death of a visually impaired woman at Tsukumi Station in Ōita Prefecture three years ago. The woman was struck by a limited express train during unstaffed hours in December 2022. The group, comprising people with visual and physical disabilities, also delivered a written statement reflecting concerns from visually impaired passengers. During a meeting at JR Kyushu’s Ōita branch, members called for clear rescue protocols for falls from platforms. Co-representative lawyer Yasuyuki Tokuda urged JR to take the voices of disabled passengers seriously.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 8, 2025 Number of comments0
Care Disability Elderly Japan Nursing Care Podcast

Japan to Launch Public Support System for Elderly Living Alone; Hospitalization, Nursing Homes, Funeral Arrangements Covered [Podcast Episode]

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry is considering creating a new framework to support elderly people who live alone and have no relatives they can depend on. The framework would cover hospital admission, entry into nursing homes and post-mortem procedures such as funerals. The ministry aims to launch the program in fiscal 2027 with an eye toward revising the Social Welfare Law next year.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 6, 2025 Number of comments0
Animals Care Disability Japan Podcast Welfare

Bear attacks woman outside home for people with disabilities in Akita [Podcast Episode]

A woman was sent to hospital unconscious after an apparent bear attack outside a facility for people with disabilities, police said on Friday. More and more wild bears have been spotted in residential areas in Japan in recent years, resulting in a rising number of attacks and deaths. “A 73-year-old woman was found lying down with head injuries at the facility entrance on Thursday night,” a local police spokesman in Akita Prefecture said. Emergency doctors told police they believed it was a bear attack based on the injuries the woman suffered, the spokesman said.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 5, 2025 1
Care Disability Elderly Japan Welfare

Japan to Launch Public Support System for Elderly Living Alone; Hospitalization, Nursing Homes, Funeral Arrangements Covered

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry is considering creating a new framework to support elderly people who live alone and have no relatives they can depend on. The framework would cover hospital admission, entry into nursing homes and post-mortem procedures such as funerals. The ministry aims to launch the program in fiscal 2027 with an eye toward revising the Social Welfare Law next year.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 5, 2025 2
Animals Disability Japan Welfare

Bear attacks woman outside disabled home in Akita  

A woman was sent to hospital unconscious after an apparent bear attack outside a facility for people with disabilities, police said on Friday.
More and more wild bears have been spotted in residential areas in Japan in recent years, resulting in a rising number of attacks and deaths. “A 73-year-old woman was found lying down with head injuries at the facility entrance on Thursday night,” a local police spokesman in Akita Prefecture said. Emergency doctors told police they believed it was a bear attack based on the injuries the woman suffered, the spokesman said.