“Barrier Free Japan applied to be a volunteer at the Tokyo 2020 Games. On September 13th, Barrier Free Japan received an email saying the application was unsuccessful. However, the received response, albeit an automated one, was kind of nice.”
“Set up in 1965, just a year after the 1964 Tokyo Paralympics, Japan Sun Industries has been building communities where the disabled can live independent lives based on the mission of the late Yutaka Nakamura, its founder, to provide opportunities rather than charity.”
“The Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee for 2010 did not create Braille materials explaining how to purchase tickets for the tournament or a CD that provides necessary information by voice. A disability organization argues that it is “in violation of the guidelines for ‘barrier-free’ set by the organizing committee.” ”
“It stipulates that standard rooms in hotels and lodgings with renovated, newly or additionally constructed floor space of over 1,000 square meters must provide doorways at least 80 centimeters wide and bathroom entrances that are a minimum 70 cm wide.”
“In the test on Sunday evening, 75 buses left the site of the athletes’ village in Tokyo’s Chuo ward one by one for the journey of about 20 kilometers via the Shuto Expressway in central Tokyo.”
“NHK has been making a series of animation or ‘anime’ videos to highlight the Paralympics. This one, first put online in June 2019, is about a vision impaired young woman who goes renews her love of Judo.”
“Applications can be made on an official website, after registering personal information, until 11:59 a.m. on Sept. 9 (2:59 a.m. GMT). The results will be announced on Oct. 2.”
“While Japan targets seventh place or better in next year’s Paralympic medal table, para sports organizers believe it is unlikely Japan will be able to pull off the kind of long-term growth former hosts China and Britain have enjoyed.”
“A total of 68 percent said they are either “very excited” or “excited” about the Tokyo Paralympics.However, 38 percent of respondents said the event is unlikely to increase the understanding of people with disabilities…”
“”When the games end, we’ll continue,” Toshio Yamada, the Japanese Para-Sports Association executive director, said in a recent interview with Kyodo News.”
Barrier Free Japan