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Coronavirus COVID-19 Disability Elderly Japan

Japan’s weekly COVID-19 cases rise for 1st time in 3 months

The weekly average of new coronavirus cases at designated hospitals across Japan rose for the first time in three months in the seven days through last Sunday, health ministry data showed Friday. The number of newly hospitalized COVID-19 patients reported by about 500 designated medical organizations nationwide was 1,175, up 37 percent from the week before.

Care Disability Employment Japan

Japan Govt Aims to Ease Care Worker Shortages through Wage Hikes

The Japanese government will help raise wages for care workers to alleviate labor shortages in the sector, Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Takamaro Fukuoka said in a recent interview.
Staff shortages at care facilities are “very serious,” Fukuoka said. He then noted that “the pay growth rate in the sector is said to be low”

Barrier Free Disability Film Japan Podcast

Niigata Civic Group Produces Film About People with Disabilities「Voice~あなたの声がききたい~」[Podcast Episode]

A civic group and university students in Higashi Ward, Niigata City, produced a short film “Voice ~ I want to hear your voice ~”. A person involved said, “We hope that this will be an opportunity for people to learn about the real daily life of living together with people with disabilities.” The film collects candid opinions about the image of people with disabilities and asks the question, “What is a disability? The film asks the question, “What is disability? The filmmakers hope that the audience will learn about the real daily lives of people with disabilities.

Barrier Free Disability Film Japan

What is a Disability? Niigata Civic Group and University Students Produces Film About the Lives of People with Disabilities

The Niigata Nippo reported on November 19th that in order to deepen understanding of disabilities, a civic group and university students in Higashi Ward, Niigata City, produced a short film “Voice ~ I want to hear your voice ~”. A person involved said, “We hope that this will be an opportunity for people to learn about the real daily life of living together with people with disabilities.” The film collects candid opinions about the image of people with disabilities and asks the question, “What is a disability? The film asks the question, “What is disability? The filmmakers hope that the audience will learn about the real daily lives of people with disabilities.

Blind Disability Japan Osaka Kansai Expo 2025 Technology

Developer with Visual Impairment to Introduce “AI Suitcase” to Enable Blind People at Kansai-Osaka Expo

Chieko Asakawa, IBM Fellow and director of the Miraikan (Tokyo) National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, who develops technology to support the visually impaired, gave a lecture at Kyoto Lighthouse in Kita-ku, Kyoto City. She touched on her latest projects, such as the “AI suitcase” that will be tested at next year’s Osaka-Kansai Expo.

Barrier Free Disability Japan

Kagawa Prefecture presents draft report on how to make disability support facilities barrier-free

As Kagawa’s prefectural disability support facilities are aging, a study group of experts was held at the prefectural office to make the facilities more comfortable for users, and presented a draft report that includes the prefecture’s plan to make the facilities barrier-free. A total of 13 people, including experts and facility representatives, attended the study group on the 18th and exchanged opinions based on the draft report compiled by the prefecture on the future of prefectural disability support facilities. Professor Nozaki Akihiro of Shikoku Gakuin University, who serves as chairman of the study group, said, “Even if private facilities are no longer able to provide support, prefectural facilities need to maintain their function of protecting the rights and livelihoods of users as a last resort.”

Disability Eugenics Forced Sterilization Japan Podcast

Last Remaining Forced Sterilization Lawsuit in Japan Settled [Podcast Episode]

A settlement was reached on Friday 15th November at the Nagoya High Court in central Japan in a damages lawsuit over forced sterilization under the now-defunct eugenic protection law, ending a series of similar lawsuits in the country, according to the defense lawyers. The Nagoya lawsuit was filed by Keiko Onoue, 74, and her husband, Kazutaka, 77, against the Japanese government. The settlement terms are based on an agreement reached between the two sides in September. Speaking at a press conference after the settlement was reached, Keiko Onoue said “I kept silent for about 50 years because there were no people to discuss it with…Now that a new relief law has been created, I hope more victims can come forward.”