Disability News Japan Podcast: 72 Hours Later and Concerns About the Elderly and Disabled
At the time of posting this it is 72 hours after the earthquake in Ishikawa Prefecture. Aftershocks seem to be lessening, although one should not be too blasé.
At the time of posting this it is 72 hours after the earthquake in Ishikawa Prefecture. Aftershocks seem to be lessening, although one should not be too blasé.
Residents are not able to take a bath, and the toilets cannot be flushed, raising concerns about hygiene.
The National Police Agency suspects a link between the increase and growing social activities following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. It said that details will be analyzed later.
Four male passengers were injured in a knife attack on East Japan Railway Co.’s Yamanote Line in Tokyo Wednesday night, the Tokyo Fire Department said.
A knife-wielding woman, apparently in her 20s, was arrested at JR Akihabara Station by Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department on suspicion of attempted murder.
The death toll includes 39 in Wajima and 23 in Suzu, both Ishikawa cities in the Noto Peninsula. Evacuation shelters were opened at 355 locations in the prefecture, and about 33,000 people were evacuated.
The death toll includes 31 in Wajima and 22 in Suzu, both cities in Ishikawa’s Noto Peninsula. Evacuation centers were opened at 355 locations in the prefecture, and about 33,000 people were evacuated.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has named this earthquake the ‘2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake’ which in Japanese is ‘ 令和6年能登半島地震’ or the ‘Reiwa 6 Noto Peninsula Earthquake’, ‘Reiwa 6’ being the Japanese Imperial Year in 2024.
I began this podcast episode intending to just welcome in 2024 and then, at around 16:10, a Shindo 7 earthquake occurred in Ishikawa Prefecture and a tsunami warning was issued. At the time of posting this on the late evening of January 1st 2024, not all tsunami warnings have been lifted, but the number of earthquakes has lessened.
Tottori Prefecture announced that in fiscal year 2022, there were 38 consultations regarding abuse of persons with disabilities reported within the prefecture (45 in the previous year). Of these, six cases (compared to nine cases last year) were confirmed as cases where the victim had suffered or was suspected of having been abused.
With regard to why the report came in so late, the director and others apparently said they had been busy dealing with a cluster of COVID-19 infections and moving into a new place, while one worker stated, “I didn’t have the courage to speak out about it.”




