Category: Hokkaido

by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 12, 2024 1
Abuse Care Disability Hokkaido Japan

After Occurrences of Abuse are Discovered at Sapporo Facility for People with Disabilities, Ward Office Imposes Three-month Suspension on Admitting New Users

The city of Sapporo has taken administrative action to suspend the admission of new users to a disability support facility in Kiyota Ward for three months after two users were beaten and abused by staff at the facility. According to Sapporo City, on July 23rd of this year, a male staff member in his 40s at Sapporo Suginaen punched a male user in his 50s in the face and kicked another user in his 60s in the body. The social welfare corporation Hokushoukai commented, “We take this incident very seriously. We will work sincerely to prevent a recurrence.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt May 5, 2024 Number of comments0
Children Disability Hokkaido Japan

Hokkaido Prefectural Government to strengthen support measures for people with disabilities who want to get married and raise children

In response to the issue of a group home in Esashi Town in southern Hokkaido where a mentally disabled resident was suggested to undergo sterilization procedures, the Hokkaido government plans to strengthen support measures for people with disabilities who wish to get married and raise children.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 16, 2024 Number of comments0
Abuse Hokkaido Hokkaido Farm Abuse Case Intellectual disabilities Japan Podcast

Disability News Japan Podcast: The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #3: Further Details on the ‘Hokkaido Farm Abuse Case’

Whilst reading about the ranch operator in northern Japan’s Hokkaido who admitted in court on March 12th that they had not paid intellectually disabled workers for decades, giving them only “snacks and juice,” Barrier Free Japan went back to their blog and re-read reports.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 14, 2024 3
Abuse Disability Employment Hokkaido Intellectual disabilities Japan

Hokkaido ranch operator in abuse suit admits to paying disabled workers in snacks, juice

A ranch operator in northern Japan’s Hokkaido admitted in court on March 12 that they had not paid intellectually disabled workers for decades, giving them only “snacks and juice.”

Three mentally disabled men in their 60s, all living in Hokkaido, have filed suit in the Sapporo District Court against the operators of the Endo ranch in Eniwa, Hokkaido, plus the municipal government there for some 94 million yen (about $635,000), alleging decades of abuse and poor working conditions.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt November 28, 2023 Number of comments0
Abuse Hokkaido Intellectual disabilities Japan Work

Japanese Public Law Litigation NPO ‘Call4’ Raises Money for Intellectually Disabled Farm Workers Suing over Abuse

On Tuesday 1st January 2024, at the Sapporo District Court, the second oral arguments will be heard. The Japanese Public Law Litigation NPO ‘Call4’ is raising money to pay for plaintiff’s legal fees
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The ‘Call4’ fundraising website points out that when the abuse of the three people with intellectual disabilities on the ranch was discovered “it covered up the fact and left it as it was. This seems to have been influenced by the fact that the ranch was run by a former Eniwa City Council member (chairman). This lawsuit seeks to hold Eniwa City responsible for concealing and neglecting the abuse of people with disabilities.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt August 10, 2023 1
Abuse Care Disability Hokkaido Japan

Male Resident of Hokkaido Facility for Disabled Injured After Falling Out of Window of 2nd Floor Room, Possible Abuse Investigated

At a support facility for the disabled in Betsukai, East Hokkaido, a male resident who was locked in a second-floor room by a male staff member fell out of a window and sustained injuries. The Hokkaido Prefectural Government is conducting interviews with the staff to investigate the possibility that the incident may have been an act of abuse.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt June 29, 2023 Number of comments0
Disability Eugenics Forced Sterilization Hokkaido Japan

Forced Sterilization of People with Disabilities in Hokkaido: A Brief Timeline

Between 1948 and 1996, Japan’s eugenics law authorized the sterilization of people with intellectual disabilities, mental illnesses or hereditary disorders to prevent the birth of “inferior” offspring. About 25,000 people with disabilities were sterilized under the law, including around 16,500 who were operated on without their consent, according to government data. A number of the court cases were filed and heard in the Sapporo District Court in Hokkaido.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt June 22, 2023 1
Care Disability Eugenics Forced Sterilization Hokkaido Japan

Disabled Resident of Hokkaido Care Facility “felt coerced” into being Sterilized

On June 21, an interview with the Hokkaido prefectural government revealed that a person with a mental disability who wished to get married or live together at a group home run by Asunaro Fukushikai, a social welfare corporation in Esashi, Hokkaido (Hidetoshi Higuchi, president), stated that he “felt as if he was forced to do so” when asked by the prefectural government about the sterilization procedures being performed on him.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 30, 2023 Number of comments0
Abuse Care Disability Hokkaido Japan Podcast

Disability News Japan Podcast: Five Former Staff Members of Hokkaido Care Facility for Disabled Charged with Assault

Six former employees of ‘Seiryu no Sato’, a support facility for persons with disabilities in Nishi-okobe village, were sent to prosecution on suspicion of assault for repeatedly abusing residents last year, including unnecessarily pressing down on them.

The Monbetsu District Public Prosecutor’s Office summarily charged five of them with assault on 29 March.