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by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 9, 2024 1
Birth Rate Children Disability Intellectual disabilities Japan

Fathers of babies in Japan who die of abuse on day of birth rarely identified

In Japan, 176 babies died on their day of birth due to abuse between 2003 and 2022, but even basic facts such as the ages of their fathers were rarely known, with the blame frequently pinned solely on mothers.

According to statistics from the Children and Families Agency, all 176 babies were born outside of a medical facility, and 161 had their bodies dumped. The place of abandonment was the mother’s home in 79 cases and other places in 82 cases.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 8, 2024 2
AI Anime Disability Japan

Introducing the AI Generated Manga about a British Man with a disability taking a walk in Dotonburi, Osaka; Japanese title: ‘足の不自由なイギリス人男性が大阪の道頓堀で散歩している’

Okay, there will be no great manga from Barrier Free Japan quite yet, but we couldn’t resist trying out the ‘Monet‘ app which apparently utilizes ‘Sora AI’.

I asked it to produce images with this prompt: “foreign man with limp with walking stick who has disability walking in Tokyo like anime movie”.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 7, 2024 1
Barrier Free Disability Internet Japan Technology

Websites in Japan becoming more friendly to people with disabilities 

Private business operators in Japan are gearing up to comply with upcoming legal requirements mandating “reasonable consideration” for people with disabilities.
Against this backdrop, an increasing number of organizations, both in the private and public sectors, are embracing solutions provided by a French startup. The solutions allow for adjustments to website design settings in line with users’ visual, motor and cognitive capabilities, facilitating a more comfortable browsing experience for people with disabilities.

Japan’s revised law on eliminating discrimination against people with disabilities is scheduled to take effect in April. Enacted in 2021, the law mandates that both the central and local governments, along with business operators, provide reasonable consideration to people with disabilities. Previously, business operators were required to make such efforts.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 6, 2024 Number of comments0
Disability Elderly Japan Welfare

Japan’s Welfare Benefit Claims Up for 4th Year in 2023, Single Mothers and Disabled Comprise 15.8% of Applicants

The number of welfare benefit applications stood at 255,079 in Japan in 2023, rising for the fourth consecutive year, the welfare ministry said Wednesday.

Households that fall under the “others” category, which includes those led by unemployed people but excludes those led by single mothers and people with disabilities or disease, accounted for 15.8 pct.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 6, 2024 Number of comments0
Assisted Dying Disability Euthanasia Japan Podcast Yuri Hayashi

Disability News Japan Podcast: Kyoto Court Sentences Doctor To 18 Years In Prison For Killing Yuri Hayashi, ALS Patient

The trial of Yoshikazu Okubo (45), who was charged with commission murder and murder for killing a patient with the incurable disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by administering drugs at her request concluded on March 5th.

According to the ruling, in November 2019, Okubo conspired with former doctor Naoki Yamamoto (46) to administer drugs to a female ALS patient, Yuri Hayashi (51) at her home in Kyoto City, causing her to suffer from acute symptoms. She died from drug poisoning.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 5, 2024 Number of comments0
Coronavirus COVID-19 Health Japan Welfare

No Public Aid for COVID-19 Medical Services in Japan from April

Japan will no longer provide public aid for medical services related to COVID-19 from April, the health ministry officially announced on Tuesday.

After the end of the public aid, patients will be asked to pay 10 to 30 pct of COVID-19 drug costs out of pocket under the country’s health insurance system. Hospitalization subsidies will also be scrapped at the end of this month.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 5, 2024 1
ALS Assisted Dying Disability Euthanasia Japan

Kyoto District Court Sentences Physician to 18 Years in Prison for Killing Patient with ALS 

The trial of Yoshikazu Okubo (45), who was charged with commission murder and murder for killing a patient with the incurable disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by administering drugs at her request has concluded.

The Kyoto District Court handed down the verdict on March 5th. Presiding Judge Hiroshi Kawakami rejected the defense’s claim of innocence and sentenced him to 18 years in prison (23 years in prison was originally sought), stating that “social appropriateness cannot be recognized at all.” He read out the reasons for the judgment and then delivered the main sentence.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 5, 2024 Number of comments0
Deaf Disability Hearing Impaired Japan Podcast

Disability News Japan Podcast: ‘Assist Mats’ Begin to Appear in 7-11 Branches in Japan

At some branches of 7-11, as you walk up to pay, you might see this mat, stuck to the counter. The mat has images with writing underneath, the writing is in Japanese & English and below the images it reads: ‘Buy Coffee’, ‘Buy Plastic Bag’, ‘Chopsticks’, ‘Fork’, ‘Spoon’, ‘Warm Up Microwave’, ‘Yes’ & ‘No’.

The mat is intended to help people with difficulties communicating, especially d/Deaf people and people with hearing impairments, when attempting to tell the 7-11 staff what they want to buy.