“Keyed to the slogan “diversity and harmony,” the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games are being ballyhooed as events that will spur the creation of an inclusive society here in Japan. However, we must question whether those running the games have truly dedicated themselves to this goal.”
“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.”
“…it is difficult to say that there has been sufficient consideration from the viewpoint of the disabled.”
“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.”
