Category: Disability

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 6, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Discrimination Hyogo Japan Kobe

Kobe Meeting Calls for End to Institutionalization and Violence Against People with Disabilities

A meeting held in Kobe on January 24th 2026 drew disability rights advocates and community organizers calling for an end to institutionalization following recent reports of violence at residential care facilities in Hyogo Prefecture. The gathering, organized by independent living groups, highlighted concerns that segregated living environments heighten the risk of abuse and isolate people with disabilities from society.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 5, 2026 Number of comments0
Abuse Care Disability Group Homes (GH) Japan

Ex-Care Worker Arrested for Assaulting Female Resident at Saitama Disability Group Home

According to the arrest allegations, between approximately 8:17 p.m. and 8:43 p.m. on October 12, 2025, at the disability group home in Sekiyama 1-chome, Hasuda City where he worked, the man allegedly assaulted a 21-year-old female resident by punching her in the face and causing injuries, including a subconjunctival hemorrhage in her right eye. The man denies the charges, stating, “I did not use violence. I cannot accept the arrest.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 3, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free developmental disabilities Disability Discrimination Employment Japan Podcast

Yokohama Court Rules Disability-Based Dismissal After ‘Outing’ Illegal [Podcast Episode]

While the court ordered the payment of ¥800,000 in consolation money, it did not recognize the claim for wages for the period during which the man was unable to work after his dismissal. The plaintiff’s attorney, Motoya Tsuchida, said, “The ruling does, in a sense, squarely acknowledge disability discrimination,” while indicating that they plan to appeal.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 1, 2026 1
Disability Discrimination Japan

Yokohama Court Rules Disability-Based Dismissal After ‘Outing’ Illegal

While the court ordered the payment of ¥800,000 in consolation money, it did not recognize the claim for wages for the period during which the man was unable to work after his dismissal. The plaintiff’s attorney, Motoya Tsuchida, said, “The ruling does, in a sense, squarely acknowledge disability discrimination,” while indicating that they plan to appeal.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 31, 2026 Number of comments0
Abuse Care Disability Japan Welfare

Abuse Found at Ehime Disability Facility; Manager Dismissed

The prefectural government announced that it has imposed an administrative sanction on a group home support facility in Tōon, Ehime Prefecture, after confirming that the facility’s then-manager repeatedly abused residents. According to the prefecture, inspections and audits found that over a period of about one year from November 2024, the manager subjected users to physical, sexual and psychological abuse on multiple occasions. The manager has since been dismissed, and the prefecture ordered the facility to suspend accepting new users for one year under the Act on Comprehensive Support for Persons with Disabilities, citing the seriousness and repeated nature of the misconduct.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 30, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Japan Robotics Technology

After Trial in Miyazaki, Saga City Pilots “OriHime” Robot to Support Employment of People with Disabilities

Saga City and other local governments in Japan are increasingly turning to avatar robots to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities, with the humanoid robot “OriHime” emerging as a key tool. Saga City has launched a pilot program placing an OriHime robot in the lobby of its city hall, where it is remotely operated by people with disabilities to guide visitors during peak hours, in cooperation with a local employment support facility. The initiative aims to create new, flexible work models for those who have difficulty commuting or working in person, while also improving public services. Similar efforts to raise awareness of avatar robots have been seen elsewhere, including an event in Miyazaki Prefecture in 2024, highlighting growing interest in OriHime as a way to connect people with disabilities to society and the workforce.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 30, 2026 Number of comments0
Children Disability Japan Mental Health

Suicides in Japan Fall below 20,000 for 1st Time in 2025, Students Reach Record High

The number of people who died by suicide in Japan in 2025 came to 19,097, standing below 20,000 for the first time since the statistics began in 1978, preliminary government data showed Thursday.  Suicides among elementary, junior high and senior high school students came to 532, hitting a record high for the second straight year since comparable data became available in 1980.