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by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 15, 2025 Number of comments0
Education Imperial Family Japan Nursing Care

Princess Aiko Attends Ceremony for Chiba University School of Nursing

Japanese Princess Aiko on Sunday attended a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the founding of Chiba University’s School of Nursing. 
   “I hope that you will continue to thrive while supporting people, and that you will dedicate your efforts to the further advancement of nursing and nursing science,” the princess, the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, said in her speech at the ceremony held at the university in the eastern Japan city of Chiba.  Chiba University is the country’s only national university with a nursing department. Some 400 people, including students and university staff, attended the ceremony.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 15, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Mental Health Podcast

On Loneliness and Isolation in Japan [Podcast Episode]

Almost half of Japanese nationals feel familiar with loneliness and isolation, a government survey showed Friday. According to the Cabinet Office’s first public opinion survey on the issue, 48.4% of respondents answered they feel “familiar” or “rather familiar” with such feelings, while 49.6% chose “not familiar” or “rather do not feel it.” The remaining 2.0% did not answer.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 14, 2025 Number of comments0
Crime Film Japan Sex

Journalist Shiori Ito’s Documentary on Sexual Violence Debuts in Japan

“Black Box Diaries,” an Oscar-nominated film directed by Japanese journalist Shiori Ito documenting her experience after suffering sexual violence, was released in Japan on Friday.   It was screened at overseas film festivals in 2024 and was nominated for Best Documentary Feature Film at this year’s U.S. Academy Awards. Meanwhile, lawyers, including those who helped Ito win a civil lawsuit against the former TV journalist over her sexual abuse case, had criticized the use of hotel security camera images and statements from taxi drivers without permission.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 13, 2025 Number of comments0
Japan Mental Health

Nearly Half of Japanese Familiar with Loneliness, Isolation

Almost half of Japanese nationals feel familiar with loneliness and isolation, a government survey showed Friday. 
   According to the Cabinet Office’s first public opinion survey on the issue, 48.4 pct of respondents answered they feel “familiar” or “rather familiar” with such feelings, while 49.6 pct chose “not familiar” or “rather do not feel it.” The remaining 2.0 pct did not answer.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 12, 2025 Number of comments0
Disasters Earthquake Japan Podcast

Another ‘Jishin-ful’ Day After 6.7M Quake Off the Coast of Aomori, Tsunami Advisories Issued [Podcast Episode]

Around 11:44 a.m., a quake with an estimated magnitude of 6.7 occurred off Aomori, logging 4 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale in 38 municipalities in five prefectures, including Hokkaido’s Hakodate, Aomori’s Hachinohe and Iwate’s Morioka. The intensity is the sixth-highest level on the 10-point scale. All the advisories were lifted at 2:05 p.m. after minor tsunami waves were observed in some municipalities, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 12, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Employment Japan Welfare

Osaka City Seeks Review of Disability Employment Add-On System

According to the city, the three offices, linked to welfare services firm Kizuna Holdings, reported around 200 such workers annually for fiscal 2024 and 2025 by repeatedly placing service users in regular employment as in-house staff for six months before returning them to beneficiary status. The offices received several billion yen in add-on payments based on these figures, prompting the city to launch an audit. A separate Osaka Prefecture survey of Type-A offices found an average of just 1.3 people per office who remained in regular employment for six months or longer in fiscal 2024.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 12, 2025 Number of comments0
Care Disability Discrimination Japan Podcast Tokyo

Half of the People with Disabilities Living in Facilities Sent to “out-of-Tokyo facilities” [Podcast Episode]

Aikawa Shinseien, a remote facility in Akita Prefecture housing nearly 90 intellectually disabled people sent from Tokyo, illustrates the long-standing practice of placing disabled residents far from their home communities due to Tokyo’s high land prices and neighborhood resistance to disability facilities, with some locals claiming such facilities would “damage the image” of the area. Many residents have lived there for decades, seldom see their families, and feel trapped, one 65-year-old man, who has lived there since the facility opened, says poignantly, “I don’t want to end my life here.” As parents age and die and “out-of-Tokyo facilities” continue to fill in replacements, some question what a truly inclusive living environment for disabled people should look like.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 10, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Discrimination Group Homes (GH) Housing Japan Tokyo

“I Don’t Want to End My Life Here”: Half of the Disabled People Living in Facilities Sent Outside Tokyo

Aikawa Shinseien, a remote facility in Akita Prefecture housing nearly 90 intellectually disabled people sent from Tokyo, illustrates the long-standing practice of placing disabled residents far from their home communities due to Tokyo’s high land prices and neighborhood resistance to disability facilities, with some locals claiming such facilities would “damage the image” of the area. Many residents have lived there for decades, seldom see their families, and feel trapped—one 65-year-old man, who has lived there since the facility opened, says poignantly, “I don’t want to end my life here.” As parents age and die and “out-of-Tokyo facilities” continue to fill in replacements, some question what a truly inclusive living environment for disabled people should look like.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 10, 2025 Number of comments0
Crime Cults Disability Japan Unification Church

Unification Church’s Japan Head Resigns

Tomihiro Tanaka, Japan head of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, widely known as the Unification Church, resigned from the post Tuesday. “We cannot underestimate the fact that we have caused deep pain to some people,” Tanaka told a news conference held at the head office in Tokyo of the controversial religious group’s Japan branch. “I’m sorry.”