Approval Rate for Japan Permanent Residency Applications Drops
By Barrier Free Japan October 10 2025 TOKYO – Approval rates for permanent residency (PR) applications at the Tokyo ImmigrationContinue Reading
Category: Disability
Komeito to Leave Japan’s Ruling Coalition with LDP
Komeito, the junior partner in Japan’s ruling coalition, will end its long-standing alliance with the Liberal Democratic Party, party leader Tetsuo Saito said Friday, signaling a major political shift after more than two decades of cooperation.
Fureasu Tops 2025 Ranking for Disability Employment in Japan
The 2025 ranking of Japanese companies with the highest employment rates of people with disabilities shows home-visit massage firm Fureasu topping the list with a rate of 15.13 percent, Toyo Keizai magazine reported Thursday. The survey covered 1,137 companies employing at least three people with disabilities. The average rate among all 1,339 firms that disclosed data was 2.25 percent, up slightly from the previous year’s 2.2 percent. Japan raised its legally required employment rate for people with disabilities from 2.3 to 2.5 percent in April, with a further increase to 2.7 percent planned for fiscal 2026.
Typhoon ‘Action’ and Mie Eyes Action Against Customer Abuse [Podcast Episode]
The Mie prefectural government plans to create what it says will be Japan’s first ordinance with a penalty aimed at deterring customers from behaving abusively to workers.The ordinance would define customer abuse as excessive nuisances that go beyond social norms and harm employees’ working environment. Vicious behavior, such as shouting to demand an apology, would be classified as designated customer abuse. When a business files a complaint of customer abuse, the prefectural government will ask a panel including lawyers to investigate and seek opinions. The perpetrator will be fined if the order is not observed. The fine is likely to be about 500,000 yen.
Flu Season Starts in Japan, 2nd Earliest in 20 Years [Podcast Episode]
Japan has entered the influenza season nationwide, marking the second-earliest beginning in the past 20 years, the health ministry said Friday. The number of flu patients reported from some 3,000 regularly monitored medical institutions across the country stood at 1.04 per institution in the week through Sunday 5th October.
People with Disabilities and Local Residents Connect at “Fureai” Exchange Event in Nishinomiya, Hyogo for 20th Year
The Fureai Network Festival in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo, brought together people with disabilities and local residents for its 20th annual event on October 5. Organized by the nonprofit Nishinomiya Fureai Network, the festival featured 16 organizations running booths where participants sold handmade goods and hosted workshops, including leathercraft. The event provided an opportunity for people with disabilities working at local facilities to engage with the wider community, with organizers highlighting its importance in fostering social connection and inclusion.
Sanae Takaichi elected LDP leader, likely next PM
Former internal affairs minister Sanae Takaichi won the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election on Saturday in a runoff vote, defeating farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi.
Flu Season Starts in Japan, 2nd Earliest in 20 Years
Japan has entered the influenza season nationwide, marking the second-earliest beginning in the past 20 years, the health ministry said Friday. The number of flu patients reported from some 3,000 regularly monitored medical institutions across the country stood at 1.04 per institution in the week through Sunday.
Nissan to Test Self-Driving Mobility Service in Yokohama
Nissan Motor Co. said Friday that it will test a transportation service using self-driving vehicles in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, for two months beginning Nov. 27. The company aims to launch an autonomous mobility service without drivers in 2027 or later.
Kagoshima City Ordered to Repay 35 Million Yen, Disability Welfare Designations Revoked [Podcast Episode]
On September 26th, Kagoshima City took administrative action to revoke the disability welfare service designation of the “Employment Support Center Shichifukujin” (Takashi 2-chome), a Type B Continuing Employment Support Facility operated by the Social Welfare Corporation Tenyukai (Director: Yurika Nagata) in Murasakihara 5-chome, for fraudulently claiming training and other benefits. The city also ordered the repayment of 25,176,250 yen fraudulently claimed and received, plus additional payments totaling 35,240,631 yen. The revocation of the designation will take effect on September 30th.
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