Category: Employment

by Michael Gillan Peckitt October 10, 2026 Number of comments0
Abilympics Disability Employment Japan Welfare

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Seeks Competitors for Tokyo Abilympics in February 2027

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will hold the 25th Tokyo Skills Competition for Persons with Disabilities, known as the Tokyo Abilympics, on Feb. 20, 2027, and will accept applications from Oct. 19 to Nov. 13. Applications must be submitted through an online form to be published on the website of the organisation’s Tokyo branch. Applicants’ eligibility will be reviewed, and participants will be selected and notified individually. Selection may be necessary if applications exceed the available places.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 20, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Employment Japan

Kawasaki Disabled Man Hired as “Hospital Employee”Actually Worked on Farm; Develops Lung Disease, Receives Worker’s Compensation

A 47-year-old man with a mental disability who worked at a farm in Kawasaki operated by a company involved in the so-called “disability employment business” has been recognized as suffering a work-related illness after developing a lung condition that he says was caused by his duties, it has been learned. The man was hired as an employee of a hospital in Kawasaki, but did not work at the hospital and instead performed agricultural work at the farm. It is unusual for a disabled worker employed through a disability employment business to have been recognized as suffering a work-related illness. The case highlights concerns over safety management and other issues at workplaces operated by such companies.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 13, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Employment Japan Welfare

Yamaguchi Prefecture Revokes Designation of Employment Support Facility for People with Disabilities Over Fraudulent Benefit Claims

A non-profit organization (NPO) based in Yamaguchi City has fraudulently received at least approximately 19.43 million yen in benefit payments from four municipalities, including Yamaguchi City, without employing a “service management supervisor” as required by the Comprehensive Support for Persons with Disabilities Act. The disciplinary action was decided on the 10th and takes effect on September 29th. The sanctioned entity is the NPO “felice,” which operated the employment support facility “Ayu no Sato” in the Yoshiki-Sahata district of Yamaguchi City.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 2, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Employment Japan Podcast

“Disability Employment Businesses” in Japan to Face Regulation Following Inappropriate Practices; Health Ministry to Require Registration [Podcast Episode]

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced on August 31st that it plans to introduce regulations, including mandatory notification requirements, for businesses that provide workplaces for people with disabilities to be employed by companies. The move comes after reports of inappropriate practices, including businesses effectively leaving the management of disabled employees entirely to outside operator.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 1, 2026 1
Disability Employment Japan

“Disability Employment Businesses” in Japan to Face Regulation Following Inappropriate Practices; Health Ministry to Require Registration

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced on the 31st that it plans to introduce regulations, including mandatory notification requirements, for businesses that provide workplaces for people with disabilities to be employed by companies. The move comes after reports of inappropriate practices, including businesses effectively leaving the management of disabled employees entirely to outside operators.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 26, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Discrimination Employment Japan Podcast

76% Don’t Disclose Disabilities or Diagnoses During Job Hunting, Nippon Foundation Survey Finds [Podcast Episode]

A Nippon Foundation survey found on August 23rd that 76.5% of people diagnosed with developmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or with mental illnesses, said they had never disclosed their diagnosis during their job search. The main reason was concern that doing so would put them at a disadvantage, such as being rejected for a job. The survey targeted people who did not have a disability certificate and had sought employment through standard recruitment channels.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 25, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Employment Japan Welfare

Miyagi steps up disability employment support after Sendai welfare provider suspension

The Miyagi Labour Bureau, Sendai city government and the Miyagi branch of the Japan Organization for Employment of the Elderly, Persons with Disabilities and Job Seekers will jointly call on employers and economic organizations to strengthen efforts to promote and maintain employment of people with disabilities, prefectural officials said Monday. The initiative comes amid scrutiny of the provision of disability welfare services in Sendai.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 24, 2026 1
Autism Barrier Free Disability Employment Japan

76% Don’t Disclose Disabilities or Diagnoses During Job Hunting, Nippon Foundation Survey Finds

A Nippon Foundation survey found on the 23rd that 76.5% of people diagnosed with developmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or with mental illnesses, said they had never disclosed their diagnosis during their job search. The main reason was concern that doing so would put them at a disadvantage, such as being rejected for a job. The survey targeted people who did not have a disability certificate and had sought employment through standard recruitment channels.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 21, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Employment Japan

Efforts Grow in Japan to Help Disabled Thrive at Work; Smaller Businesses Struggle Due to Lack of Funds, Human Resources

The statutory employment rate for people with disabilities was raised to 2.7% from July, up from 2.5%.Fifty years have passed since such a mandatory rate was first set in 1976, and initiatives have now gone beyond merely meeting that figure to also exploring ways to maximize disabled people’s abilities and job satisfaction. Increasing the employment rate among small and medium-sized enterprises is a challenge as well. In companies with fewer than 100 employees, the employment rate for people with disabilities stands at only 1.94%, which is lower than the overall average.