Category: Disability

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 20, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Disasters Earthquake Elderly Japan Typhoon

Japan sees 5,400 deaths from post-disaster fatigue, stress since 1995

More than 5,400 people died in Japan over the past 30 years due to severe stress and exhaustion caused by evacuation following earthquakes and other natural disasters, according to a recent tally by Kyodo News. At least 5,456 “disaster-related deaths” have been recognized since local governments began such designation following the Great Hanshin Earthquake in western Japan on Jan. 17, 1995, with the figure including deaths linked to the Noto Peninsula quake last year.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 19, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Infectious Diseases Influenza Japan

As weekly influenza cases average at alert level in 40 prefectures in Japan, facilities for people with disabilities struggle

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.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 18, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Disasters Earthquake Japan Nankai Trough

Japan Raises Nankai Trough Megaquake Probability to Some 80 Percent

The Japanese government’s Earthquake Research Committee has increased its assessed probability of an earthquake with a magnitude of 8 to 9 occurring along the Nankai Trough off the country’s Pacific coast within the next 30 years to some 80 pct from 70-80 pct, officials said. When a 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Miyazaki Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on Monday, the panel at the time concluded that Monday’s earthquake was not a phenomenon that could be considered to have relatively increased the possibility of a Nankai Trough earthquake occurring compared with normal times.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 14, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Employment Japan

Number of People with Disabilities Employed in Yamaguchi Prefecture Reaches Record High

According to the Yamaguchi Labor Bureau, as of June 1st of last year, the number of disabled people employed by companies with their headquarters in the prefecture was 4,911.5, up 84 from the previous year. This is the highest number since statistics began being collected in 1977. The Disabled Employment Promotion Act requires private companies to employ a certain percentage of disabled people, such as 2.5 percent. This year’s employment rate in private companies was 2.77 percent, with particularly high rates in the service industry and medical and welfare industries.

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 10, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Infectious Diseases Influenza Japan

Japan’s new flu cases hit record high in late December 2024

The number of influenza patients reported at designated medical institutions across Japan at the end of the year hit the highest level since comparable data became available in 1999, the Japanese government said Friday. It marked the 10th consecutive week of increase and a 1.51-fold rise from the week prior, and there were shortages of some of the medications used to treat influenza.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 10, 2025 1
Barrier Free Disability Japan Media NHK

NHK’s Disability TV Show “Baribara” to End in March after 15 years on Air [Podcast Episode]

On January 7th, it was announced on the official website that NHK Educational TV’s barrier-free variety show “Baribara” (broadcast on Thursdays 8pm) will end in March.
The production team of the show announced, “Baribara, which has been broadcast with the aim of eliminating ‘barriers’ for ‘all minorities who have difficulty living’, will end in March this year.”