Category: Welfare

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 1, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Employment Japan Podcast Welfare

Wakayama Fails to Hire Statutory Number of People with Disabilities [Podcast Episode]

According to the announcement, as of June 1, 2024, three municipalities, Kinokawa, Shirahama, and Kushimoto, did not meet the statutory employment rate of 2.8% for persons with disabilities under the Act on Employment Promotion of Persons with Disabilities. As a result, they formulated employment plans for hiring persons with disabilities as required by the law. However, despite guidance from the bureau aimed at achieving the target, the situation had not improved by the deadline of the end of December 2025.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 31, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Podcast Welfare

Osaka revokes licenses of four Kizuna Holdings employment support facilities over excess disability subsidies [Podcast Episode]

Osaka City said March 27 it had revoked the operating licenses of four disability employment support facilities run by subsidiaries of Kizuna Holdings, after determining they had improperly received excessive public subsidies tied to employment outcomes for people with disabilities. Kizuna Holdings operates Type A continuous employment support facilities, where users with disabilities work in structured settings while receiving wages subsidized by public funds, with the aim of transitioning into regular employment.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 29, 2026 1
Disability Japan Osaka Welfare

Osaka revokes disability employment support designation over ¥15 billion in improper payments

On the 27th, Osaka City revoked the designation of a business operated by a subsidiary of the welfare-related company “Kizuna Holdings,” based in the city, after determining that it had received excessive additional payments for employment support for people with disabilities. The amount of the improper payments is said to total approximately ¥15 billion nationwide.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 25, 2026 1
Care Crime Disability Japan Welfare

Tottori Accepts Liability in Death of Disabled Teen at Care Facility

In an accident last March at the “Prefectural Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center,” a residential facility for children with disabilities in Yonago City, Tottori Prefecture, a resident (then 14) fell from a stretcher, suffered fractures, and later died. On the 23rd, the prefectural government released the results of its investigation. As to causes, it pointed to failures to thoroughly ensure safety, including in the operation of equipment, as well as a lack of shared caregiving methods tailored to each resident.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 22, 2026 1
Care Disability Invisible Disabilities Japan Welfare

227,000 people in Japan have “Higher Brain Dysfunction”; families speak of loneliness and reality

An estimated 227,000 people in Japan are living with higher brain dysfunction, an “invisible disability” caused by brain damage from strokes or accidents, yet the condition remains poorly understood because its symptoms are not outwardly apparent. As a result, families of those affected often face profound and isolating challenges, including sudden personality changes, emotional instability, and cognitive impairments that others may misinterpret as normal behavior. This lack of visible signs can lead to misunderstanding and insufficient support, leaving caregivers to cope with stress, confusion, and loneliness while navigating daily life alongside their loved ones.