The average among the roughly 5,000 medical institutions stood at 11.18 in the week, with the total number of patients increasing to 55,072, 1.39 times the figure the previous week, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare data revealed.
In front of more than 130 plaintiffs, lawyers and supporters, Kishida said, “It is with deep regret that at least 25,000 people have suffered the grave harm of being sterilized,” under the eugenics law, which was in effect between 1948 and 1996.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday apologized directly to victims of forced sterilizations conducted under the now-defunct eugenic protection law.
At a meeting with the victims held at the Prime Minister’s Office Kishida said: “The government’s responsibility is extremely serious, I am sincerely sorry.”
“Seamless Buddy,” a system that makes it possible to visualize the abilities of people with disabilities, is attracting attention. In March of this year, the system was recognized, and Yoko Takahashi (50), the representative of Danway (Nakahara Ward, Kawasaki City), which developed it, was selected for the “Kawasaki Entrepreneur Excellence Award.”
Japan’s parliament is likely to apologize to the victims of forced sterilization during its extraordinary session expected to be held this autumn, it was learned Tuesday. At hearings conducted by steering committees of both parliamentary chambers, ruling and opposition lawmakers called on the legislative branch to make an apology on its own for the inhumane acts carried out under the now-defunct eugenics law after the Supreme Court found the law unconstitutional.
The Tochigi Prefectural Board of Education has decided to abolish boarding schools at both Tochigi and Nasu special needs schools in March 2025. The decision was made public at an information session for parents that began on July 10th. These were the only two boarding schools for intellectually disabled children in the prefecture, so all such schools will be abolished.
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling ordering the government to pay compensation for the former Eugenic Protection Law, a plaintiff living in Tokyo visited his father’s grave in his hometown of Sendai to report the outcome of the trial. As a child, Kita was placed in an institution for behaving in a problematic manner, and was forced to undergo surgery at the age of 14.
Megumi, which operates a group home for people with disabilities, submitted its business policy to Aichi Prefecture on July 12th, indicating its intention to transfer the business within the year. There is a possibility that some facilities will no longer be able to operate.
Megumi aims to transfer the business to a separate corporation within the year. After being found to have inflated food costs and fraudulent compensation claims, Megumi was administratively punished by Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya City, and will no longer be able to operate group homes nationwide.
Japan’s Children and Families Agency has begun discussions on details of the planned program to make day care services available for all infants regardless of whether their parents are working or not, sources said. Under the program, set to be fully launched as early as fiscal 2025, day care services will be available for a certain amount of time for all children aged 6 months to 2 years who do not attend nursery schools.
Ahead of the Kyoani arson fifth anniversary Thursday, the 3-meter-tall aluminum monument, built in the Historical Park of Tea and Uji Town, features a design symbolizing the individuality of the 36 victims soaring into the sky, adorned with inscriptions such as “Dreams and passion from person to person.”
Barrier Free Japan