On January 20th at around 11PM, an employee of a welfare facility for the disabled in Tanaka-cho, Nagasaki City, called the emergency services to report that the facility was full of smoke. When the fire department arrived no fire was discovered and no one was injured.
The office said, “Esper Ito (real name Masuo Ito) had been receiving rehabilitation treatment at a facility for a long time and has been repeatedly in and out of the hospital, but on January 16, 2024, due to status epilepticus, He passed away at a medical institution.”
Former comedian Esper Ito, who was reported to have passed away on the 17th at the age of 63, announced on the 19th that the cause of his death was status epilepticus.
The office said, “Esper Ito (real name Masuo Ito) had been receiving rehabilitation treatment at a facility for a long time and has been repeatedly in and out of the hospital, but on January 16, 2024, due to status epilepticus, He passed away at a medical institution.”
This is a short audio extract from the NHK G TV programme ‘News Watch 9’ broadcast on January 19th 2024, reporting about the elderly and people with disabilities in Ishikawa prefecture after the earthquake on January 1st 2024.
A place where children can come and play together and receive support has been offered on an island in the central Japan prefecture of Ishikawa, which was hit hard by a powerful earthquake on the first day of this year.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has determined that ‘Megumi’, a major group home management company for people with disabilities, was overcharging food costs from residents. It was revealed on January 17th, through interviews with related parties, that the government has recommended that a report be submitted by the end of this month. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare conducted a special audit and made recommendations at the end of last year.
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has determined that ‘Megumi’, a major group home management company for people with disabilities, was overcharging food costs from residents. It was revealed on January 17th, through interviews with related parties, that the government has recommended that a report be submitted by the end of this month.
The latest quake with an estimated magnitude of 4.8, which occurred in the Noto region, measured lower 5, the fifth highest on the Japanese seismic intensity scale, in the Ishikawa town of Shika and registered 4 in the city of Wajima, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The focus of the temblor, which occurred around 6:42 p.m., was about 10 kilometers deep.
Meanwhile, the Ishikawa prefectural government said Tuesday that the number of people who remain unaccounted for after the Jan. 1 quake rose by four from Monday to 26 while the death toll was unchanged at 222.
A meeting of a national organization made up of local politicians with disabilities was held in Isesaki City, Gunma Prefecture on the 15th, and the plan was to provide extensive support to people with disabilities in anticipation of a prolonged evacuation period following the Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
Fourteen people who evacuated to safety are now believed to have died from causes related to the earthquake in Ishikawa prefecture. Medical experts warn the figure could increase due to poor sanitary conditions in shelters.
On January 15th, NHK reported how some elderly people are hesitant to evacuate out of Ishikawa prefecture because it may disrupt their medical care regime.
Barrier Free Japan