Shin’s story: Using technology to break down the barriers of disability in Japan This video looks at how advances in computer technology are helping Yunik Shin, ho has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and is a students at Tokyo University. The video is made by Microsoft so is partly an advert for computer technology but also shows how Shin is able to study at university. Microsoft Asia, 8 Feb 2018.
Japan's disability shame: Sterilisation victims demand apology This is the story of Kikuo Kojima, one of about 25,000 people suspected of having disabilities or mental illnesses who were forcibly sterilized so they wouldn't be able to have children. See more about Kikuo's story in the Japan's Secret Shame video on the right Aljazeera, 8 Nov 2018.
Japan's Disability Shame This video looks at the attitudes to and treatment of people with disabilities in Japan through three stories: Takeshi and Chikako Ono whose son was injured in the Sagamihara incident of 2016; Kikuo Kojima .who was put into a psychiatric hospital and sterilized against his will despite not being diagnosed with a mental illness; and Shuhei Onishi who talks about the difficulties for people with disabilities of finding employment. Aljazeera, 8 Nov 2018.
Japan's Disability Shame: Shuhei's Story Despite an American college degree, English language and computer skills, Shuhei Onishi still struggles to find work in Japan and has started his own business instead. You can see more about Shuhei's story in Japan's Diability Shame
Disabled women harassed while riding trains call for policy change This article reports on the experience of a women who uses a wheelchair or being abused on trains by men, and also has the views of Satoshi Sato, secretary-general of the Japan National Assembly of Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI-Japan) on this issue. Asahi Shimbun, 13 Sep 2021.
The lowdown on being disabled in Japan This article looks at what it is like to live in Japan with a disability through the experiences and stories of two people who are wheelchair users: Mizuki Hsu who is a mother-of-two and working for Google and Josh Grisdale who was born and raised in Canada, but became a Japanese citizen a few years ago. They talk about accessibility and moving around in Tokyo, including using trains, job-hunting, and finding accommodation when you are using a wheelchair. You can also listen to a podcast with Mizuki and Josh talking about their experiences. BBC News, 25 Aug 2021.
Japan: Disaster, disability and a community’s revival This article tells the story of Yusuke Ishimori, a young wheelchair user from Ishinomaki who survived the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and the difficulties he had in the evacuation centre and the lack of accessibility in the temporary housing for evacuees. The article also explains that people with disabilities were twice as likely to die in the March 2011 disaster and looks at the lessons that are being learned from this by Ishinomaki City. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 10 Mar 2014.
Raising kids in Japan, with extra challenges: Foreign parents of children with physical or learning difficulties share their stories Parents explain about difficulties and discrimination as well as support and help experienced by their children, particularly in relation to education and finding schools that they can go to. Japan Times, 14 October 2018.
Disability awareness campaigner calls on Japan to accept inclusive classrooms This article tells the story of Takashi Ono, who has cerebral palsy, explaining his experiences at his neighborhood elementary and junior high schools which were positive and at a special high school for disabled students where he felt he had no chance to learn. It also explains his work now helping schools understand that children with special needs should be allowed to attend regular classes if they wish to do so. Japan Times, 4 Aug 2017.
Many schools in Japan still not accessible for wheelchair users This article includes the story of Shunsuke Nishida, 20, who is a student of Waseda University’s Faculty of Human Sciences’ e-school, and who had difficulties finding wheel-chair accessible schools when he was youbnger. It also looks at the situation in schools in Tokyo including in Daizawa Elementary School in Setagaya Ward. Asahi Shimbun, 11 Dec 2020.
Disabled Japanese man rejected from entering high school 27 times dies aged 21 A man with cerebral palsy who made 27 attempts in seven years to try and gain entry to a regular high school died in November at age 21 without being able to fulfill his dream. The article also explains he was able to go to regular elementary and junior high schools when he was younger. Mainichi, 30 Dec 2019.
Best Practices for the Working Places for Persons with Disabilities in Japan This video was presented at the Power-up Forum for The Working Place for Persons with Disabilities in 2012. It introduces various initiatives to support people with disabilities in finding work and includes the stories of people with disabilities who have benefited from these services. Disability Information Resources (DINF).
The Social Model of Disability This video compares the medical model of disability in which the disability is seen as belonging to the person to the social model in which the the idea of ‘disability’ is seen as socially constructed in terms of the barriers in society. PWDA (People with Disabilities Australia), 2 Dec 2019.
The Social Model of Disability This video explains the history of ideas about disability including the medical model and the social model, the barriers in society to people with disability and what all of us can do to reduce these barriers. Toucan Diversity / Winchester Sciecne Centre, 27 Nov 2019
What is the Social Model of Disability? People with impairments talk about how their understanding of disability and feelings about themselves were changed by knowing about the social model, and what that means for changing society. Scope, 21 Aug 2014.
Travelling With a Physical Disability in Japan In this video, Yuriko Oda (Wheelchair Walker) and Josh Grisdale (Accessible Japan) show what it's like to travel with a physical disability in Japan's trains, buses, cars, taxis, and planes. Life Where I'm From X, 5 Aug, 2016.
障害者雇用を考えたら、誰もが働きやすい環境になった。那須の名物「バターのいとこ」が生んだやさしい事業 The story of one company in Japan providing a friendly work environment for people with disabilities. Kotonaru, 20 April 2021.
New law bans bias against people with disabilities, but shortcomings exist, say experts This Q&A article explains the law and the criticisms of it by Disability Rights activists. Japan Times, 2 May 2016.
Sagamihara stabbings highlight discrimination and abuse people with disabilities face in Japan The article looks at how disabled people are affected more by the Covid-19 pandemic than other people. Japan Today, 25 July, 2020
Why is Japan Still Biased Against People with Disabilities? Matthew Hernon looks at the reasons behind the discrimination, and what's being done to help change attitudes. Tokyo Weekender, 9 Feb 2017.
The Long Road to Disability Rights in Japan In January 2014, Japan became the 140th country to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. What are the implications for Japanese society and its efforts to eliminate discrimination? Nippon.com, Oct 2, 2014.
Japan confronts disability stigma after silence over murder victims' names This article discusses how the stabbing deaths of 19 disabled people in their sleep in July and the silence surrounding their identities forced Japan to grapple with its attitudes toward physically and cognitively impaired persons. Reuters, 16 Sep 2016.
Japan disabled challenge stigma, barriers to run for upper house seat Reuters, 16 Sep 2016.This article explains the story of two severely disabled people who ran as candidates in the election for the upper house in the Japanese Parliament. It also explains the slogan of disability activities 'Nothing about us without us' and the idea of reasonable accommodation (合理的配慮 ).
Barriers facing disabled in Japan are more than physical Activists point to society's thinking that those with disabilities are 'abnormal'. The Straits Times, 3 Jan 2020.
Wheelchair-accessible hotel rooms still an issue ahead of Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and Olympics Japan Times, 10 June 2019.Japan Council on Independent Living Centers Independent Living Centers are organizations in which disabled people, who have been recipients of services, take the initiative in providing services they really need to live in the community. With their activities at Independent Living Centers, they are not recipients of services any more but they are providers of social services. This webpage provides history and explanation about Independent Living Centers in Japan. Japanese site: 全国自立生活センター協議会.
Information on disability in Japan - an overview of the legal situation and cultural norms and some insights into the situation for disabled people in Japan. Has a focus on disability issues in the workplace. Disability: In (A US organisation).
Japan Disability Forum (JDF) Since its establishment in 2004, JDF has been engaged in various activities toward the ratification and implementation of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities in Japan. (JDF consists of 13 national-level member organizations of/for persons with disabilities.) Japanese site: 日本障害フォーラム
Policy for Persons with Disabilities Japanese Government Cabinet Office
Japan National Assembly of Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI-Japan) / 私たちの活動 | DPI 日本会議 (dpi-japan.org) was founded 1986 as a national organization of Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI). As of March 2016, 93 organizations of various types of disabilities including physical, intellectual, psychiatric or intractable diseases, are allied with us. We gather grass-roots voices, reflect the voices to national policies, and then back them to the locals.
Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities (JSRPD) / 日本障害者リハビリテーション協会 was established in 1964 with an aim to promote projects on rehabilitation of persons with disabilities through international cooperation based on investigation and research. See also Japan Data on disabled people in Japan
光の家神愛園 | 社会福祉法人 東京光の家 (hikarinoie.org)
特定非営利活動法人バリアフリーネットワーク会議 (barifuri-okinawa.org)
バリアフリー総合研究所 (npo-barrierfree.jp)
認定特定非営利活動法人日本車椅子レクダンス協会 – 高齢者や障がいのある人たちが健常者と同じように楽しめる社会環境の実現を目指しています (wsda.jp)
Support for Persons with Disabilities / 障害者支援 from the Nippon Foundation.