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by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 8, 2026 Number of comments0
Care Disability Japan Welfare

Saitama Disability Facility to Be Abolished on April 1; Families of Users Forced Into Unwanted Transfers Say Move Is “Irresponsible”

Families of users of a disability care facility in Kawaguchi have voiced concern over the planned April 1 closure of the center, saying many clients still have no confirmed alternative placements. City officials said the decision was driven by rising welfare costs, noting that the annual designated management fees are about 4.04 million yen for the daily care facility and roughly 2.33 million yen for a related employment support center. The closure ordinance was approved by the municipal assembly with support from members of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, but families criticized the timeline as too short to arrange suitable transfers. The assembly has also urged the city government to take responsibility if alternative placements are not secured before the shutdown.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 8, 2026 Number of comments0
Japan Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games Para Sports Paralympics Podcast Sports

Sounds of The Milano-Cortina Winter Paralympics Beginning [Podcast Episode]

The Milano-Cortina Winter Paralympic Games kicked off Friday with an opening ceremony at an amphitheater in Verona, a UNESCO world heritage city in northern Italy. Over 600 athletes from a record 55 countries and regions will vie for medals in 79 events across six sports at the first winter Paralympics in Italy since the 2006 Turin Games. A total of 44 Japanese athletes will compete in all six sports, making it the largest Japanese delegation for a winter Paralympic Games held outside of Japan. Considering the burden of travel caused by the dispersed venues, each country and region was encouraged to have only two athletes attend the opening ceremony. Snowboarder Junta Kosuda and curling player Aki Ogawa carried the Japanese flag in the ceremony. Japanese Paralympians are just three medals shy of reaching a 100 cumulative medals won at the Winter Games. The country netted 24 medals at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics held last month, a record high for the Winter Olympics.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 7, 2026 Number of comments0
Japan Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games Para Sports Paralympics Podcast Sports

Japan heads to Winter Paralympic Games with biggest team in decades [Podcast Episode]

Japan’s biggest Winter Paralympic delegation in decades will take part in the Milan Cortina Games from Friday, with competitors in multiple events tipped to bring home medals.
The Winter Paralympics, which run through March 15, are Italy’s first since Torino 2006 and mark the 50th anniversary of the games. More than 600 athletes are expected to compete in 79 events in six sports.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 7, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games Para Sports Paralympics Sports

Wheelchair curlers open Milan Cortina Paralympic Games for Japan

Japan’s wheelchair curling mixed doubles team opened the country’s campaign at the Milan Cortina Paralympics on Wednesday, ahead of the official start of the international sporting event later this week. Aki Ogawa, 50, and Yoji Nakajima, 61, lost 10-3 to China in their opening round-robin match after surrendering an early lead and allowing their opponents to steadily extend the margin. Admitting she was unable to overcome the pressure, Ogawa said after the match at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, “It is a pleasure to play the sport I love on such a stage.”

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 6, 2026 Number of comments0
Disability Japan Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. Medical

Tokyo Institute of Science Identifies Mechanism Causing Kidney Damage from Red Yeast Rice Supplements

Amid health problems linked to red yeast rice supplements produced by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, a research team at the Tokyo Institute of Science announced by the 5th that it has clarified part of the mechanism by which puberulic acid, a substance derived from blue mold and identified as the causal compound, triggers kidney damage. While the substance responsible had previously been identified, how it actually damaged the kidneys had remained unclear.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 6, 2026 Number of comments0
Japan Podcast Unification Church

Tokyo High Court Upholds Unification Church Dissolution Order [Podcast Episode]

Tokyo High Court on Wednesday 4th March upheld a district court order for the dissolution of the controversial religious group Unification Church, stripping the organization of its status as a religious corporation. “A dissolution order is necessary and inevitable, even when taking into consideration the impact on followers’ freedom of religion,” Motoko Miki, presiding judge of the high court, said.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 5, 2026 1
Japan Unification Church

Tokyo High Court Upholds Unification Church Dissolution Order

Tokyo High Court on Wednesday upheld a district court order for the dissolution of the controversial religious group Unification Church, stripping the organization of its status as a religious corporation. “A dissolution order is necessary and inevitable, even when taking into consideration the impact on followers’ freedom of religion,” Motoko Miki, presiding judge of the high court, said.