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by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 6, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Para Sports Paralympics Sports

Japan Para Swimmer Mayumi Narita Dies Aged 55

Mayumi Narita, one of Japan’s most accomplished para swimmers and a six-time Paralympian, died Friday at the age of 55 after battling intrahepatic bile duct cancer, the Japanese Para Swimming Federation said. Born in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, Narita became a wheelchair user in her teens due to transverse myelitis and later a traffic accident, but went on to dominate the Paralympic stage, winning 15 gold medals and 20 overall between 1996 and 2004. She was named Best Female Athlete by the International Paralympic Committee in 2005, retired after the 2008 Beijing Games, and later contributed to Tokyo’s successful bid for the 2020 Games before making a remarkable comeback to compete in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 at age 51. Known for her resilience and innovation, she continued training despite pandemic restrictions and had planned to remain active in the sport at her home club, the Yokohama Sakura Swimming School.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 6, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Employment Japan

Kanagawa Prefecture Opens Consultation Desk to Support Employment Retention of People with Disabilities

Kanagawa Prefecture has set up a consultation desk for companies to address issues related to helping employees with disabilities remain in the workplace. Specialists such as certified social workers with expertise in disability employment will respond to concerns like: “An employee with a disability often takes days off, but we don’t know what the problem is,” or “They seem troubled by workplace relationships, how should we respond?”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 5, 2025 1
Disability Japan Para Sports Paralympics Sports

Para Swimmer Mayumi Narita Dies at 55, 15 Gold Medals Earned in Career

The Japanese Para Swimming Federation announced Friday that Mayumi Narita, one of Japan’s most celebrated para swimmers, has died at the age of 55 after an illness. A native of Kanagawa Prefecture, Narita competed in four consecutive Paralympic Games from Atlanta in 1996 to Beijing in 2008 before returning in 2015 to race at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021. Excelling in freestyle and backstroke, she became a dominant figure in global para swimming and retired following the Tokyo Games.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 5, 2025 1
Abuse Disability Employment Japan

Abuse of Disabled Workers by Employers in Japan Fell by 1.5% in FY2024

Japan’s Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry reported a slight decline in the number of disabled workers found to be abused by employers in fiscal 2024, even as reports of suspected cases increased. A total of 1,827 workers were the subject of abuse reports, down 1.5% from the previous year, while confirmed cases involved 652 people across 434 workplaces, a 14.3% drop. Most cases involved economic exploitation, such as unfair pay, with part-time and temporary workers most affected. Intellectual disabilities were the most common among victims. Labor bureaus responded mainly with guidance under labor laws, including the Minimum Wage Act.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 5, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Health Japan Medical

Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry Council Considers Adding “Sleep Disorder” to Medical Department Names, Along with Internal Medicine

Japan’s Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry is considering allowing “sleep disorders” to be listed as an official medical department name at hospitals and clinics. The move comes after the Japanese Society of Sleep Research requested the change, citing a rise in conditions such as insomnia and hypersomnia and confusion over where patients should seek treatment. Currently, care is divided among psychiatry, respiratory medicine, and otolaryngology. The ministry’s advisory council aims to reach a decision by March 2026.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 4, 2025 1
Children Crime Disability Japan

(Update) Nagoya Prosecutors Urged to Deem Girl, Hinami, Born Severely Disabled after Accident as Victim

The family of a pregnant woman who died after being hit by a vehicle in Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture, is urging prosecutors to recognize her newborn daughter—left severely disabled due to the accident—as a legal victim. Sayaka Togitani, 31, died two days after the May 21 incident, and her daughter Hinami was delivered via emergency cesarean section but suffered brain damage from fetal hypoxia. While the 50-year-old driver has been indicted for negligent driving resulting in Sayaka’s death, no charges have been filed in relation to Hinami, as she was a fetus at the time under Japan’s Criminal Code. On September 2, Sayaka’s husband, Yudai, submitted a petition with over 112,000 signatures calling for prosecutors to also pursue charges for the injury to Hinami. At the driver’s first court hearing the same day, they admitted guilt and apologized, while Yudai emphasized the importance of acknowledging his daughter’s life and suffering.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 3, 2025 2
Crime Disability Japan

Family Seeks Recognition of Baby, Made Severely Disabled in Utero, as Victim in Ichinomiya Fatal Accident

The family of a pregnant woman killed in a May traffic accident is urging prosecutors to recognize her newborn daughter, left severely disabled, as a victim. Sayaka Togitani, 31, was struck by a car and gave birth by cesarean section before dying. Her baby, Hinami, requires a ventilator. The driver, Naoko Kono, 50, was indicted for negligent driving resulting in death, but not in relation to the baby. Over 112,000 signatures have been submitted supporting the family’s request.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 3, 2025 Number of comments0
Disability Down Syndrome Japan Podcast

Mie University Researchers Develop CRISPR Technique to Remove Extra Chromosome in Down Syndrome Cells [Podcast Episode]

Led by Dr. Ryotaro Hashizume of the Graduate School of Medicine, Unit for Genomic Manipulation and Technology Development, the team had successfully developed a technique to eliminate the extra copy of chromosome 21 in cells derived from individuals with Down syndrome. The condition, caused by trisomy 21, affects roughly one in every 700 births and leads to intellectual disabilities and other health complications.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt September 2, 2025 1
Disability Down Syndrome Genetics Japan

Mie University Researchers Develop Groundbreaking CRISPR Technique to Remove Extra Chromosome in Down Syndrome Cells

Led by Dr. Ryotaro Hashizume of the Graduate School of Medicine, Unit for Genomic Manipulation and Technology Development, the team had successfully developed a technique to eliminate the extra copy of chromosome 21 in cells derived from individuals with Down syndrome. The condition, caused by trisomy 21, affects roughly one in every 700 births and leads to intellectual disabilities and other health complications.