Tuesday 2nd of April was the United Nation’s ‘Autism Awareness Day’.
Japan Airlines or JAL, Japan’s national airline, held a simulation boarding experience using an actual aircraft at Haneda Airport so that children with autism and other developmental disabilities can enjoy air travel with peace of mind.
TokiAir, an airline that began service last month, posted information on its website for passengers. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) pointed out that some expressions on the website could be misinterpreted as requiring disabled persons to be accompanied by an escort on a uniform basis. In response, the company changed the content and commented that it did not intend to discriminate.
The photograph was taken at my local train station in Kobe. The station itself is quite accessible to a person with disabilities like myself. However, there is one small problem when one enters the station, because those who enter the station, enter what I like to call an ‘empire of QR codes’.
‘But isn’t that ok, maybe even accessible’ I hear you say? But, I find it difficult to hold my body still for a lengthy period of time because it spasms, it took me more than ten minutes to take this photo, imagine how much time it would take for me to scan a QR code.
The photograph shows my local train station in Kobe. The station itself is quite accessible to a person with disabilities like myself. However, there is one small problem when one enters the station, because those who enter the station, enter what I like to call an ‘empire of QR codes’. ‘But isn’t that ok, maybe even accessible’ I hear you say? But, I find it difficult to hold my body still for a lengthy period of time because it spasms, it took me more than ten minutes to take this photo, imagine how much time it would take for me to scan a QR code.
For a break from ‘earthquake news’, Barrier Free Japan talks about the prevalence of ‘QR codes’ at train stations in Japan and how this might affect accessibility.
The question is, will the increasing use of QR codes make it more difficult for some in Japan to use the railway?
During an interview with aviation/travel analyst Takataro Chokai on on Nippon Broadcasting System’s “Koji Iida’s OK! Cozy up!” on January 4th, it was revealed that two wheelchair user were passengers onboard JAL flight 516 when it skidded down the tarmac shortly before 6PM local time at Haneda Airport on January 2nd 2024
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.
Incidents with people using wheelchairs, especially elderly people using wheelchairs, seem to be reported more often in Japan.
According to the police and fire department, a wheelchair and an express train collided at Hanshin Electric Railway’s Mukogawa Station around 5:50PM p.m. on November 7th. A Wheelchair user was transported due to collision between Amagasaki and Koshien, operation suspended.
Disability rights groups in Japan have been petitioning for better access to the country’s rail system, specifically demanding improvements to the current system that prevents disabled people from receiving discounts when riding alone on trains if the distance is less than 100 kilometers.
Barrier Free Japan