Wheelchair developer start-up company to move HQ to Yokohama
“Whill Inc. has raised a $45 million Series C funding round after quietly moving its headquarters this summer from San Carlos to Yokohama, Japan, where it began eight years ago.”
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Forced sterilization court case in Kobe reveals policy of infertility treatment on ‘unhappy children’
“The policy of Hyogo prefecture at this time clearly states that the policy was to “seek medical assistance from physicians to aggressively perform eugenic surgery by doctor’s application, and guidance and awareness of stakeholders”. It was also recorded that a system to subsidize the costs of forced sterilization surgery was introduced depending on the type of disability.”
Ministry to test dementia prevention goods, services
“The project will be carried out for three years from fiscal 2019. The ministry will work with businesses that offer dementia prevention products and services, and with local governments whose officials are directly involved in nursing care services, to verify how effective products and services are in maintaining and improving people’s cognitive functions.”
Working in Japan with ADHD: “Even if diagnosed as ill, life is not easy “
“ADHD affects 1 in 5 people nationwide in Japan. It was believed to be a minor problem in the past, but nowadays “adult ADHD (adult developmental disorder)” is attracting attention.”
Japanese airlines to offer discount to people with mental disorders
“The JAL group will start accepting reservations for the discount on Oct.4, while other airlines plan to implement the new policy as early as January next year.”
Kobe district court hears forced sterilization case involving two deaf couples
“Among the plaintiffs, Kimiko Kobayashi (86) of Akashi City got pregnant shortly after marrying her husband (86), but was taken to a hospital by her mother and was ordered have to surgery to abort. At the same time, sterilization surgery, unknown to Kobayashi and her husband, sterilisation surgery was also performed.”
Intellectual disability support group to launch sterilization surgery victim survey
“The 200,000-member “Zenkoku Te o Tsunagu Ikuseikai Rengokai” (New Inclusion Japan) will aim to identify victims of such surgeries that targeted people with physical and intellectual disabilities, mental illnesses or what were believed to be hereditary diseases.”
Fukui Prefecture adopts ‘Help Mark’ to aid disabled people
“The help mark is a design with a white cross and heart arranged on a red background, Tokyo introduced in 2012. It has already being used in 34 prefectures.”
Introducing The Disability News Japan Podcast
“The Disability News Japan Podcast is Barrier Free Japan’s Podcast, a weekly digest of some of the news about disability in Japan in audio form. New episodes will usually available every Friday at 3pm Japan Time.
This is the first episode, – the format and technology is still being experimented with, so this is ‘Episode Zero’ intended as kind of test run, I do hope you enjoy it.”
Disability groups protest JR Kyushu ‘unmanned station’ policy
“There was a rally meeting at a JR Kyushu station in Oita city on the 24th, against the large scale reduction of unmanned stations.”
Barrier Free Japan 