Disability News Japan

Dec 10 2024 361 ep. 4 mins 52
Disability News Japan Podcast artwork

Hosted by Michael Gillan Peckitt, who resides in Kobe, Japan, the Disability News Japan Podcast is News website 'Barrier Free Japan's podcast, a weekly digest of some of the news about disability in Japan in audio form. New episodes will usually available every Friday at 6am Japan Time.

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Woman with Dementia, Yasuko Arakawa is Missing 「荒川泰子さんが行方不明です。」

Dec 10 2024 3 mins  
Over a year has passed since Yasuko Arakawa, who had been diagnosed with an early-onset type of dementia, disappeared from their home in the western Japan city of Yonago on August 8th 2023. Her husband Tsutomu is desperately seeking any information on her whereabouts. 荒川泰子さんは2023年8月8日、西日本の米子市の自宅から姿を消して以来、早期発症�

Barrier Free Straws at Starbucks, but the Empire of QR Codes Encroaches Further on Japan

Dec 08 2024 3 mins  
Starbucks Coffee Japan Ltd said on Friday 6th December that it will switch from paper straws to biomass plastic straws from January. The major coffee chain said the step is aimed at providing more comfortable straws to customers and alleviating burdens on the environment. Episode Notes: ‘Starbucks Coffee Japan to Switch to Biomass Plastic Straws’: https://barrierfreejapan.co

Forced Sterilization Plaintiff Yumi Suzuki Named an “Influential and inspiring woman” by the BBC

Dec 05 2024 2 mins  
Yumi Suzuki, one of the plaintiffs who sued the Japanese government over forced sterilization under the now-defunct eugenics protection law was selected for the BBC's annual list of "influential and inspiring women" around the world on Tuesday 3rd December. The theme of this year's selection was "resilience," highlighting the women who "are pushing for change and improving lives at

I Cannot Think of My Disabled Daughter as "Precious"; Children Without Disabilities are “Adorable”

Dec 03 2024 2 mins  
“Our older daughter, a junior high school student, has a severe intellectual disability. She is unable to take care of herself, so I have to help her with everything, including using the bathroom and bathing. She is very particular about things and often gets angry suddenly or screams nonstop for a long time. I don’t know when it happened, but I started not thinking about her a

Santa Arrives in Japan from Finland!

Nov 30 2024 1 mins  
Due to stay in Japan until Thursday, the winter visitor plans to interact with children at facilities such as nursery schools and attend events in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka. Santa came to Japan on a direct flight from Finland, appearing from the plane with a trademark red cap and white beard, waving and wishing bystanders "Merry Christmas!” Episode notes: ‘Santa Arrives in Japa

Doctor’s 18 Year-Term for Consensual Killing of ALS Patient Upheld

Nov 28 2024 3 mins  
The Osaka High Court on Monday 25th November upheld a lower court ruling that sentenced a doctor, Yoshikazu Okubo, aged 46, to 18 years in prison for the consensual killing of a woman, Yuri Hayashi, 51, who had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a rare neurological disease also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2019 in western Japan. The defense for 46-year-old Yoshikazu Okubo

South Korean Disability Activist Park Kyung-Seok Deported at Narita

Nov 26 2024 10 mins  
On November 22nd, a Korean disability activist Park Kyung-Seok was deported from Japan after seven hours at Narita Airport, along with his two caregivers. The reason given for Park’s deportation was that in South Korea he has received a suspended sentence for violation of the Assemblies and Demonstrations Act in 2012 for attending an illegal demonstration in South Korea and that

Speech-to-Text Tech Used in Osaka High Court, Wage Hike to Keep Carers & COVID Cases Increase

Nov 24 2024 6 mins  
Spectators are typically not permitted to use electronics, but the individual relies on speech-to-text technology due to impaired hearing and was interested in attending the trial after learning about it through the media. The Japanese government will help raise wages for care workers to alleviate labor shortages in the sector, Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Takamaro Fukuoka s

Niigata Civic Group Produces Film About People with Disabilities「Voice〜あなたの声がききたい〜」

Nov 21 2024 3 mins  
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 disabil

‘Last’ Forced Sterilization Plaintiff Keiko Onoue Speaks

Nov 19 2024 2 mins  
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. After the settlement was reached, the plaintiff, Keiko Onoue (74) spoke about how she “kept silent for 50 years” as there was no one with whom she could "discuss” it. Speaking at a press confe