Category: Housing

by Michael Gillan Peckitt October 9, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Discrimination Housing Japan

One in 10 people with disabilities in Japan have been refused rental housing, some turned away without discussion

The survey was conducted from December last year to March this year through 20 member organisations and other channels, receiving responses from 400 people. The results have recently been compiled. Surveys of this scale targeting people with disabilities themselves are said to be rare. Of the 311 respondents who answered whether they had ever been refused rental housing, 33 said they had.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt October 1, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Discrimination Housing Japan Podcast

People with Disabilities in Fukuoka Face Rental Housing Woes [Podcast Episode]

A survey by the Fukuoka City-based group Association to Eliminate Discrimination against People with Disabilities in Fukuoka City found that one in 10 respondents with disabilities or their family members had been refused when looking for private rental housing.

Some respondents said they had been turned away because of their disability. Experts say such cases could constitute “unjust discriminatory treatment,” which is prohibited under Japan’s Act for Eliminating Discrimination against People with Disabilities. The survey was conducted from December last year through March this year through the group’s 20 member organizations and other channels.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 30, 2026 1
Barrier Free Disability Discrimination Housing Japan

Survey finds one in ten people with disabilities denied private rental housing in Fukuoka

Some respondents said they had been turned away because of their disability. Experts say such cases could constitute “unjust discriminatory treatment,” which is prohibited under Japan’s Act for Eliminating Discrimination against People with Disabilities. The survey was conducted from December last year through March this year through the group’s 20 member organizations and other channels.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 24, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Discrimination Housing Japan Podcast

People with disabilities in Japan face persistent barriers to housing, accommodation [Podcast Episode]

People with disabilities in Japan continue to face significant barriers in securing housing and accommodation, with multiple recent cases highlighting concerns over discrimination, limited legal enforcement, and a lack of understanding among property owners and service providers.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 10, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Discrimination Group Homes (GH) Housing Japan Tokyo

“I Don’t Want to End My Life Here”: Half of the Disabled People Living in Facilities Sent Outside Tokyo

Aikawa Shinseien, a remote facility in Akita Prefecture housing nearly 90 intellectually disabled people sent from Tokyo, illustrates the long-standing practice of placing disabled residents far from their home communities due to Tokyo’s high land prices and neighborhood resistance to disability facilities, with some locals claiming such facilities would “damage the image” of the area. Many residents have lived there for decades, seldom see their families, and feel trapped—one 65-year-old man, who has lived there since the facility opened, says poignantly, “I don’t want to end my life here.” As parents age and die and “out-of-Tokyo facilities” continue to fill in replacements, some question what a truly inclusive living environment for disabled people should look like.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt November 19, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Discrimination Housing Intellectual disabilities Japan Podcast

Osaka Woman With Intellectual Disability Refused UR Housing, Raising Rights Questions [Podcast Episode]

A 60-year-old woman with an intellectual disability in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture, was denied a UR rental apartment despite having spent more than a year preparing to live independently with support from a local nonprofit, prompting concerns that the agency’s requirement for a co-resident family member constitutes discriminatory treatment.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt November 16, 2025 2
Disability Discrimination Housing Independent Living Intellectual disabilities Japan

Osaka Woman With Intellectual Disability Refused UR Housing, Raising Rights Questions

A 60-year-old woman with an intellectual disability in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture, was denied a UR rental apartment despite having spent more than a year preparing to live independently with support from a local nonprofit, prompting concerns that the agency’s requirement for a co-resident family member constitutes discriminatory treatment. The woman had practiced living alone in an NPO-rented unit, staying several nights a week and managing household tasks with periodic help from care workers. As The Mainichi Shimbun reported on November 15, disability-rights advocates argue that imposing conditions not required of non-disabled applicants contradicts national policy encouraging people with disabilities to move from institutions into community-based housing.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt November 3, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Discrimination Housing Japan Podcast

Tokyo couple denied housing after disabilities revealed [Podcast Episode] 

A couple in Tokyo were all set to move into a new home when a real estate agent abruptly relayed a message from the apartment management company. “We regret to inform you that we cannot proceed with the contract.”They repeatedly tried to get an explanation from the company but could not gain access. The couple then realized the company’s decision to reject their application came soon after the property owner learned about their mental disabilities.