Category: Japan

Barrier Free Disability Japan Travel

Disability News Japan Podcast: JR East Raises Ticket Prices as ‘Barrier Free Fees’

The Transport Ministry has set up a new system to add to fares “barrier-free fees” to be shouldered by passengers to accelerate efforts to install platform doors and other facilities.

Barrier Free Disability Japan Travel

Tokyo-Area Train Fares Raised by 10 Yen, a “barrier-free fee” to Improve Accessibility

East Japan Railway Co, or JR East, Tokyo Metro Co. and other railway operators raised their regular fares for train services in Tokyo and neighboring prefectures by 10 yen on Saturday.

These companies will use increased revenues to install elevators and platform doors and make other efforts to improve barrier-free accessibility at train stations.

Barrier Free Disability Japan Podcast

Disability News Japan Podcast: Japan’s Disability Discrimination Laws are Revised, Requiring Private Businesses to make ‘Reasonable Accommodations’

On 14th March, the Japanese Government decided to require businesses and other operators to provide ‘reasonable accommodations’, such as installing ramps for wheelchair users at shop entrances and exits, from 1 April 2024. The Cabinet approved the Cabinet Order on the revised Disability Discrimination Law. Until now, the State and local authorities have been obliged to provide reasonable accommodation, while the start date of the obligation for businesses was undecided.

Disability Japan Podcast

Disability News Japan Podcast: ‘A Personal Matter’ Author Kenzaburo Oe Dies & ‘No Mask Day’

Oe won the Nobel Prize in 1994 as he was working on the “A Flaming Green Tree” trilogy. The prize was awarded for works including the novel “A Personal Matter” — which was dedicated to his son, the composer Hikari Oe — solidifying his place in contemporary literature.

Hikari Ōe was born and developmentally disabled. Doctors tried to convince his parents to let their son die, but they refused to do so. Even after an operation, Ōe remained visually impaired, developmentally disabled and epileptic, with limited physical coordination.

Crime Day Care Service Disability Japan

Operator of Oita day-care facilities for disabled children received 34 million Yen in fraudulent payments

A company operating day care facilities for children with disabilities in nine locations in the prefecture, including Beppu City, was found to have fraudulently received approximately 34 million yen in benefits by padding the number of staff, and Oita Prefecture has decided to cancel the designation of the facilities.