Latest Posts

by Michael Gillan Peckitt October 7, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Forced Sterilization Japan Podcast

Japan’s “Father of Disability Welfare” Applied for Forced Sterilization, Told 16-Year-Old Girl bed-wetting will stop [Podcast Episode]

It has been discovered through research that Omi Gakuen, a facility for children with intellectual disabilities in Shiga Prefecture founded by Kazuo Itoga, who was praised as the “father of disability welfare,” gave a 16-year-old girl with an intellectual disability the false explanation that “your bed-wetting will stop” when applying for her forced sterilization in 1952, during the period when the Eugenic Protection Law was in effect (1948–1996). The law permitted sterilization to be carried out through deception. This is the first time that the specific means of deception used in such a case have been identified in Shiga Prefecture.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt October 6, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Crime Abuse Care

Employee at Chiba disability facility arrested on suspicion of assault after striking resident

The suspect is accused of striking a 52-year-old male resident near the face with a sandal around 4:30 p.m. on September 23 at “Sodegaura Hikari no Gakuen”, the facility in Shimoshinden, Sodegaura City where he works as a care worker, and grabbing his upper body and tripping him so he fell backward around 7:50 p.m.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt October 6, 2026 Number of comments0
Japan Podcast Typhoon

A Triple Typhoon Threat! [Podcast Episode]

Typhoon No. 28, Nolo, also classified as very strong, had a central pressure of 950 hectopascals and maximum sustained winds of 50 m/s and was moving west-northwest near the Midway Islands; it is forecast to turn northward and approach waters east of Japan later in the week. Typhoon No. 29, Koguma, was considerably weaker, with a central pressure of 1,000 hectopascals and maximum sustained winds of 18 m/s, and was moving north-northwest near the Marshall Islands.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt October 5, 2026 1
Disability Forced Sterilization Japan

Japan’s “Father of Disability Welfare”Applied for Forced Sterilization, Told 16-Year-Old Girl bed-wetting will stop

It has been discovered through research that Omi Gakuen, a facility for children with intellectual disabilities in Shiga Prefecture founded by Kazuo Itoga, who was praised as the “father of disability welfare,” gave a 16-year-old girl with an intellectual disability the false explanation that “your bed-wetting will stop” when applying for her forced sterilization in 1952, during the period when the Eugenic Protection Law was in effect (1948–1996). The law permitted sterilization to be carried out through deception. This is the first time that the specific means of deception used in such a case have been identified in Shiga Prefecture.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt October 5, 2026 Number of comments0
Disasters Infectious Diseases Influenza Japan Podcast Typhoon

On Typhoons and Influenza [Podcast Episode]

The average number of influenza patients per monitored medical institution has exceeded 1.0 in all 47 Japanese prefectures, signaling a nationwide flu outbreak, a health ministry announcement showed Friday. The ministry said that the number of flu patients at some 3,000 regularly monitored institutions across the country came to 7.17 on average in the week through Sunday. While the figure was slightly lower than 8.48 the previous week, a ministry official said, “The decline may be temporary, given trends in previous years.” A large and powerful typhoon, now over the sea far south of Japan, is expected to move north while developing and come closest to the Pacific islands of Ogasawara early next week.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt October 5, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Earthquake Elderly Health Infectious Diseases Influenza Japan Kumamoto

Flu Spreads in Quake-Hit Kumamoto as Japan Sees Early Outbreak

As Japan saw the second-earliest start of a nationwide influenza outbreak, the flu is also spreading in Kumamoto Prefecture, which was hit by a powerful earthquake in July. With more than 1,300 people still staying at evacuation centers two months after the July 28 temblor that registered the maximum 7 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, an expert has stressed the importance of getting vaccinated early.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt October 4, 2026 Number of comments0
Abuse Care Disability Japan

Tsu District Court Orders Compensation After Name of Disability Facility Whistleblower Leaked

According to the ruling and other sources, the man reported to Taiki Town where a resident at the facility lives; in February 2024 that he had witnessed fellow care workers verbally abusing residents and striking them on the back. When a town official contacted the facility, they disclosed that the man was the whistleblower.  

by Michael Gillan Peckitt October 4, 2026 1
Japan Podcast Typhoon

Typhoon Choi-wan approaching Japan’s Ogasawara Islands [Podcast Episode]

A large and powerful typhoon, now over the sea far south of Japan, is expected to move north while developing and come closest to the Pacific islands of Ogasawara early next week. People are advised to be on the alert for high waves from Sunday onward. The Japan Meteorological Agency says that as of 6 a.m. on Saturday, Typhoon Choi-wan was moving north-northeast near the Mariana Islands at a speed of 15 kilometres per hour.
The typhoon had a central atmospheric pressure of 970 hectopascals. It was packing winds of up to 126 kilometres per hour near its centre, with gusts peaking at 180 kilometres per hour.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt October 3, 2026 1
Health Infectious Diseases Influenza Japan

Japan Hit by Nationwide Flu Outbreak

The average number of influenza patients per monitored medical institution has exceeded 1.0 in all 47 Japanese prefectures, signaling a nationwide flu outbreak, a health ministry announcement showed Friday. The ministry said that the number of flu patients at some 3,000 regularly monitored institutions across the country came to 7.17 on average in the week through Sunday.
While the figure was slightly lower than 8.48 the previous week, a ministry official said, “The decline may be temporary, given trends in previous years.”