Category: Employment

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.

The number of office closures will be at least 16 in total in six prefectures, and the number of disabled people fired or retired is expected to reach about 300. This is an unusual scale for a single business operator, and in some cases, users have rebelled against the sudden closures. The company in question is “MOON” in Tokai City, Aichi Prefecture.

A large number of people with disabilities are being let go from workplaces in Japan as government-aided employers which offered them chances to gain skills and knowledge while working have been closing down. The national government should speed up support measures while thinking up systems to protect their employment. Formerly, there were about 4,600 such facilities nationwide. Between March and July this year, this was reduced by more than 160, and around 4,300 people lost their jobs. Usually, between around 1,000 and 3,000 people with disabilities are fired each year, but this year stands greatly apart.