Latest Posts

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 13, 2026 1
Crime Disability Employment Japan Welfare

Osaka-based Employment Support Agency Fraudulently Received Subsidies from 76 Municipalities

It is said that they abused a system intended to promote stable employment, receiving about 7.9 billion yen from Osaka City and about 7.1 billion yen from 75 other municipalities, mainly in the Kansai region. Osaka City has decided to revoke the designation of the four offices effective May 1. Including penalty charges under the Comprehensive Support for Persons with Disabilities Act, the city has requested the return of a total of approximately 11 billion yen.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 13, 2026 Number of comments0
Crime Disability Japan Podcast Welfare

Tokyo’s Toshima Ward Revokes Designation of Deaf Child Daycare Centre Over 58.3 Million Yen Fraud, Falsified Staff Reports [Podcast Episode]

Tokyo’s Toshima Ward announced on the 10th that it has revoked the designation of the childcare support service “Aton Juku – Child Development Support and After-School Day Service for Children Living with Sign Language,” after it was found to have fraudulently received approximately 58.3 million yen in benefits by concealing a staff shortage. The revocation will take effect from July 1.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 12, 2026 1
Crime Disability Japan Welfare

Sapporo Employment Support Agency Executive Referred to Prosecutors Over False Disability Claims

Masamichi Sone, the representative of a company operating facilities such as “Rapport” in Nishi Ward, Sapporo, has been arrested and referred to prosecutors. Sone is suspected of repeatedly submitting false applications to Sapporo City between 2022 and 2025, claiming to have provided employment support services for persons with disabilities despite not having appointed a qualified managing supervisor as required. He allegedly defrauded the city of approximately ¥35 million in benefit payments.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 11, 2026 1
Crime Day Care Service Deaf Disability Japan Welfare

Tokyo’s Toshima Ward Revokes Designation of Deaf Child Daycare Centre Over 58.3 Million Yen Fraud, Falsified Staff Reports

Tokyo’s Toshima Ward announced on the 10th that it has revoked the designation of the childcare support service “Aton Juku – Child Development Support and After-School Day Service for Children Living with Sign Language,” after it was found to have fraudulently received approximately 58.3 million yen in benefits by concealing a staff shortage. The revocation will take effect from July 1.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 11, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Employment Japan Podcast

60% of Workers in Japan with Mental or Developmental Disabilities Do Not Disclose Disability [Podcast Episode]

When an advocacy group for people with mental and developmental disabilities conducted a survey on employment, over 60% of respondents reported having experience with “closed employment” – working without disclosing their disability. Many cited the reason for non-disclosure as “feeling that it would lead to employment disadvantages such as dismissal or contract non-renewal.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 10, 2026 Number of comments0
Children Disability Japan

Support group for siblings of people with disabilities to start in Nara

The initiative was launched in Nara City by a group of volunteers, including welfare professionals, prompted by growing awareness of “young carers” – children who take on caregiving and daily responsibilities for family members with illnesses or disabilities. The group aims to provide a space where participants can talk about and share their individual feelings and struggles, as well as offer information that may lead to support.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 10, 2026 Number of comments0
Alzheimer’s Dementia Japan Podcast

Novel Alzheimer’s Therapies Given to Less than 20 Percent of Applicants in Japan [Podcast Episode]

Novel Alzheimer’s therapies have been given to 19 pct of outpatients who applied for the medications, according to a recent survey at a Tokyo hospital. The lecanemab and donanemab therapies for early-stage Alzheimer’s patients are now clinically available under Japan’s national health insurance scheme, which curbs a sharp rise in out-of-pocket medical expenses. Despite the relatively low-cost availability, however, the drugs have eventually been administered to only 87 out of 456 applicants, the survey by a study group at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology showed.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 9, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Hospitals Japan

University of Tokyo to Directly Run Hospital after Scandals

The University of Tokyo will put its hospital under the direct control of the university headquarters by the end of June at the earliest as part of reform efforts following corruption scandals involving doctors at the university. The plan was featured in a set of governance reform proposals, released Wednesday, after an outside investigative panel pointed to problems at the prestigious national university, such as a lack of crisis awareness and a vertically divided organizational culture, in the wake of the scandals.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 9, 2026 1
developmental disabilities Disability Discrimination Employment

60% of Workers in Japan with Mental or Developmental Disabilities Do Not Disclose Disability

When an advocacy group for people with mental and developmental disabilities conducted a survey on employment, over 60% of respondents reported having experience with “closed employment” – working without disclosing their disability. Many cited the reason for non-disclosure as “feeling that it would lead to employment disadvantages such as dismissal or contract non-renewal.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt April 9, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability iPS Japan Medical

Japan Eyes Public Insurance for iPS Cell-Based Products

Japan’s Central Social Insurance Medical Council on Wednesday started to discuss extending the public health insurance coverage to two regenerative medicine products using induced pluripotent stem, or iPS, cells. The council, which advises the health minister, is expected to decide the official prices for the products as early as summer. The products will come into use for medical treatment after that.