The former officer, Masato Takeuchi, and another suspect arrested over the case, 55-year-old company employee Hiromi Ishichi, are apparently denying the allegations. Takeuchi is a board member of a Kyoto-based group, mainly comprising former police officers, that provides daily assistance to elderly people with dementia. The police believe the two suspects withdrew several million yen in cash using the victim’s card.
Japan is preparing to host its first-ever Deaflympics from Nov. 15 to 26, with events held in Tokyo, Shizuoka, and Fukushima, and Narita airport stepping up accessibility measures for the thousands of athletes and visitors expected from around 80 countries. The airport has introduced pictogram signage, written communication tools, and staff training sessions led by people with hearing impairments to improve interactions with deaf and hard-of-hearing travelers. Meanwhile, the Tokyo metropolitan government is offering sign language lessons to its employees to ensure smooth event operations and promote greater understanding of the deaf community ahead of the 12-day international sporting event.
Japan is preparing to host its first-ever Deaflympics from Nov. 15 to 26, with events held in Tokyo, Shizuoka, and Fukushima, and Narita airport stepping up accessibility measures for the thousands of athletes and visitors expected from around 80 countries. The airport has introduced pictogram signage, written communication tools, and staff training sessions led by people with hearing impairments to improve interactions with deaf and hard-of-hearing travelers. Meanwhile, the Tokyo metropolitan government is offering sign language lessons to its employees to ensure smooth event operations and promote greater understanding of the deaf community ahead of the 12-day international sporting event.
A panel under Japan’s Fiscal System Council, which advises the finance minister, proposed Tuesday that nursing care service fees be charged to users based on their ability to pay, as part of reform on the country’s nursing care insurance program. The proposal comes as nursing care costs are estimated to total 14.3 trillion yen in fiscal 2025, about four times the level in 2000, when the program was established.
The Hikone branch of the Otsu District Public Prosecutors Office announced on the 10th that it has decided not to indict a 70-year-old male care worker from Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture. The man had been arrested on suspicion of preparation for murder and violation of the Firearms and Swords Control Act after allegedly hiding a kitchen knife at the welfare facility for people with disabilities in Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture, where he worked, with the intent to kill a 44-year-old resident. The prosecutors did not disclose the reason for their decision.
With the Deaflympics set to open in Tokyo on Saturday, Narita airport near the Japanese capital is seeking to ensure accessibility for the deaf and hearing-impaired, counting on easily recognizable “pictogram” signage and written communication.
The Hikone branch of the Otsu District Public Prosecutors Office announced on the 10th that it has decided not to indict a 70-year-old male care worker from Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture. The man had been arrested on suspicion of preparation for murder and violation of the Firearms and Swords Control Act after allegedly hiding a kitchen knife at the welfare facility for people with disabilities in Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture, where he worked, with the intent to kill a 44-year-old resident. The prosecutors did not disclose the reason for their decision.
The Tokyo metropolitan government is making final preparations to host the Deaflympics, known as the Olympics for people with hearing difficulties, from Saturday, such as conducting sign language lessons for its staff. It aims to facilitate the management of the Deaflympics, in which some 3,000 athletes from over 70 countries and regions are slated to compete, by promoting understanding about people with hearing impairments through the lessons. The upcoming Deaflympics will be the first to be held in Japan.
Princess Kako, the second daughter of Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko, attended a ceremony in Tokyo’s Ota Ward on Saturday marking the 70th anniversary of the National Federation of Associations for the Welfare of the Mentally Disabled, a group made up of families and supporters of people with intellectual disabilities. Around 2,000 people took part in the event, where Princess Kako expressed her “heartfelt respect” for the attendees and said she hopes understanding of intellectual disabilities will continue to deepen so that “everyone can live with peace of mind.”
A welfare-related company based in Osaka City is suspected of having improperly received tens of billions of yen in disability employment support subsidies (payments) since fiscal 2024, city officials revealed on November 5. The company allegedly exploited a system that increases subsidy amounts based on the number of disabled workers who find employment in regular companies. Osaka City has launched an audit under the Comprehensive Support for Persons with Disabilities Act and is considering demanding repayment.
Barrier Free Japan