Category: Japan

Disability Japan Podcast Writing

Disability News Japan Podcast: Sao Ichikawa, A Woman with a Disability, Wins Japan’s Prestigious Literary Prize

Sao Ichikawa, the winner of the Akutagawa Prize, is a 43-year-old resident of Kanagawa Prefecture.

She was diagnosed with congenital myopathy, a muscle disease, one of the most intractable diseases, when she was 10 years old, began using a ventilator at the age of 14, uses an electric wheelchair for transportation, and writes using a tablet device.

Crime Japan Mental Health Self Defense Forces

Japan GSDF recruit to undergo psychiatric test after shooting instructors

A Ground Self-Defense Force recruit who fatally shot two of his instructors and injured another during a live-fire training exercise in central Japan last month will be subjected to a psychiatric evaluation, prosecutors said Thursday.

The 18-year-old will be detained for approximately four months through Nov. 24 for the examination, the Gifu Summary Court said after accepting the request by prosecutors for his detention.

Disability Elderly Hearing Impaired Japan

Jiji Press, Seven Others Team Up to Tackle Hearing Loss

Jiji Press Ltd. and seven partners on Wednesday signed a declaration of cooperation to prevent social isolation for elderly and other people with hearing loss.
The partners will disseminate information on cases where new technologies, such as cartilage conduction earphones, are in practical use, aiming to promote support for those people.

Art Disability Imperial Family Japan

Japan’s Princess Kako Attends ‘Doremifa Dance Concert’ Performed by People with Disabilities

Princess Kako, the second daughter of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, attended the Doremifa Dance Concert in Tokyo on Monday 17th July.

This was the fourth time that Kako attended the event, which was organized by a Tokyo-based non-profit organization dedicated to the welfare of people with disabilities, inviting people with disabilities and their families as spectators.

Art Disability Japan Writing

Sao Ichikawa, Woman with Congenital Myopathy Wins Japan’s Akutagawa Prize

The protagonist of the story is a woman with the same serious disability as Ichikawa.

She describes her life in which she is forced to rely on medical equipment such as a ventilator and aspirator to aspirate her lungs, while at the same time humorously expressing her bitter sarcasm toward the lives of normal people.

The work is full of Ichikawa’s powerful words as a person with severe disabilities.

Abuse Care Disability Japan

Fuchu City Care Home Abuse: Staff Members also Victimized, Called ‘Crazy’

It was not only the users of the care home whom were victimized. Staff members were also subjected to assault, verbal abuse, and power harassment. One staff member was abused and told that he was “incompetent” and “crazy,” and that he should go to a hospital to get checked out. Another employee had documents thrown at him and was punched in the face. Some resigned because they could no longer stand the harassment.