Category: Podcast

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 28, 2026 Number of comments0
Barrier Free Disability Discrimination Employment Japan Podcast

52.6% of Companies in Japan Find Disability Employment Targets “Difficult” to Achieve [Podcast Episode]

More than half of Japanese companies say they will struggle to meet the government’s higher disability employment quota, highlighting persistent challenges in workplace readiness and internal awareness. A survey by disability employment support firm Persol Diversity found that 52.6% of companies view achieving the revised statutory quota of 2.7%, which takes effect in July, as difficult, underscoring gaps in organizational understanding and the need for improved accommodations and support systems for workers with disabilities.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 27, 2026 Number of comments0
Care Disability Japan Podcast Welfare

Gunma Issues Guidance After Death of Disabled 17-Year-Old on Outing, Cites “delay in transporting to hospital” [Podcast Episode]

Gunma Prefecture issued guidance to a social welfare corporation operating a disability support facility following an investigation into an accident in which a male high school student (17 at the time), who attended a disability support facility in Ōra Town, Gunma Prefecture, fell ill and died during a sea swimming outing. The prefecture cited a “delay in transporting him to a hospital” as a contributing factor and pointed out that countermeasures against aspiration of seawater had not been discussed, stating that “risk management was not in place.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 26, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Eugenics Forced Sterilization Japan Podcast Politics Sanae Takaichi

Takaichi Meets with Forced Sterilization Victims [Podcast Episode]

“The government’s responsibility is extremely grave,” Takaichi said when she met with the victims at the prime minister’s office on Wednesday.   A law on compensation to forced sterilization victims took effect on Jan. 17 last year following a Supreme Court ruling that recognized the state’s liability. While victims are estimated to include around 25,000 individuals subjected to sterilization procedures and about 59,000 who had abortions, the number of cases certified under the law remained at just 1,560 as of the end of November last year.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 23, 2026 Number of comments0
Assassination of Shinzo Abe Crime Japan Podcast Unification Church

Judge Says of Ex-PM Abe Killer: “It cannot be said that his background had a great impact” [Podcast Episode]

Presiding Judge Shinichi Tanaka suggested that the motive claimed was irrational, stating, “It cannot be said that his background had a great impact.” During the trial, the defense argued that, given Yamagami’s troubled background related to the controversial religious group Unification Church, with which Abe allegedly had ties, his sentence should be no more than 20 years.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 21, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Podcast Welfare

Tokyo Opposes Cuts to Disability Welfare Fees [Podcast Episode]

On December 23 last year, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government submitted a request to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Children and Families Agency regarding the June 2026 interim revision of disability welfare service fees, calling on them not to implement a nationwide reduction in basic compensation for newly established providers of certain services.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 19, 2026 Number of comments0
AI Deaf Hearing Impaired Imperial Family Japan Podcast

Grok-generated Deepfake Images of Sign Language Literate Imperial Princess Kako Circulate Online [Podcast Episode]

The South China Morning Post reported on January 13th that Grok-generated deepfake images of Japan’s Princess Kako, the niece of Emperor Naruhito, in a bikini circulating online have renewed scrutiny on Elon Musk’s X chatbot. Princess Kako has performed various official duties at home and abroad, while working twice a week since April 2024 at the Japanese Federation of the Deaf, which she joined as a part-time employee in 2021.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 16, 2026 Number of comments0
Care Crime Disability Japan Podcast

Yokohama Court Hands Suspended Sentence to Man Over Growing Cannabis at Facility for Disabled Children [Podcast Episode]

On January 13th, the Yokohama District Court held the sentencing hearing for a 31-year-old male defendant, a resident of Yamato City, charged with violating the Cannabis Control Law and other offenses for cultivating cannabis plants at the support facility for children with disabilities in Fujisawa City where he was employed.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 14, 2026 Number of comments0
Crime Film Japan Podcast Sex Sexual Assault

Barrier Free Japan Watched Black Box Diaries [Podcast Episode]

Barrier Free Japan went to see ‘Black Box Diaries’ directed by Shiori Ito on January 13th, which had its theatrical release in cinemas in Japan a few months ago. I appreciate that it’s been divisive in some communities over source protection issues and maybe because it’s an emotional thing to watch, but I recommend it & consider it necessary to watch. I’ve seen in it different forms a couple of times as it started life out as a BBC ‘Storyville’ documentary.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 12, 2026 Number of comments0
Deaf Disability Japan Podcast Police Sign Language

A No News ‘Seijin no Hi’ [Podcast Episode]

No news on ‘Coming of Age Day!’ ‘Sign Language Link’ is provided by the Japan Foundation Telephone Relay Service, a general incorporated foundation based in Tokyo. When police officers leave a kōban or a residential police post, they put up a notice indicating their absence. By scanning the QR code on this notice with a smartphone or other device, users are connected to a video call, initiating a three-way conversation between the user, a sign language interpreter, and an officer at the police station.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt January 9, 2026 Number of comments0
Care Disability Japan Podcast Welfare

Medical Foundation Ends Disability Support Services in Miura City after Mayor’s Social Media Remarks [Podcast Episode]

It was learned on January 6th that the medical corporation foundation “Aoyama-kai” has decided to end two disability consultation support services under contract with the city at the end of March and has notified the city. The relationship of trust with the city was damaged by Mayor Kaichi Deguchi’s social media posts during last year’s mayoral election and the subsequent response, and the foundation has decided that continuing the services any longer is difficult.