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 under Article 5, paragraph 1, paragraph 4 of the Japanese Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act Park could be deported. However, Park had been allowed to enter Japan in 2016 and in May of this year, at the invitation of Amnesty International, according to Daisaku Seto of the ‘Anti-Poverty Network’.

Episode Notes:

‘Reasons Emerge for Korean Disability Activist Park Kyung-Seok’s Deportation at Narita’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/11/26/reasons-emerge-for-korean-disability-activist-park-kyung-seoks-deportation-at-narita/

South Korean Disability Activist Park Kyung-Seok Deported at Narita

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 had argued that finding him guilty of murder would violate the Constitution’s right to self-determination. But the high court rejected the appeal, stating that the Constitution presumes the right to life but does not recognize a “right to seek assistance from others to end one’s life.”

Okubo was found guilty by the Kyoto District Court in March of administering a lethal dose of a sedative to Yuri Hayashi, 51, in her Kyoto apartment on Nov. 30, 2019, at her request. 

Yuri Hayashi kept a Twitter account and a blog – both of which have since been deleted – detailing her last months of being alive and her desire to end her life.

Episode Notes:

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

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/11/25/doctors-18-year-term-for-consensual-killing-of-als-patient-upheld/

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

“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 as precious to me. I sometimes even wish she would go away. My son, who is in high school, and my younger daughter, an elementary school student, have no disabilities, and they’re so adorable.”  [From Japan News, 'Dear Troubleshooter’]’


Episode Notes:

‘I Cannot Think of my Handicapped Daughter as "Precious"; Son, Daughter Without Disabilities Are "Adorable" [Japan News, 'Dear Troubleshooter’]’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/12/01/i-cannot-think-of-my-handicapped-daughter-as-precious-son-daughter-without-disabilities-are-adorable-japan-news-troubleshooter/

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

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 community or global level.”

Episode Notes:

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

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/12/04/forced-sterilization-plaintiff-yumi-suzuki-named-an-influential-and-inspiring-woman-by-the-bbc/

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

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.com/2024/12/08/starbucks-coffee-japan-to-switch-to-biomass-plastic-straws/

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

The city of Sapporo has taken administrative action to suspend the admission of new users to a disability support facility in Kiyota Ward for three months after two users were beaten and abused by staff at the facility. According to Sapporo City, on July 23rd of this year, a male staff member in his 40s at Sapporo Suginaen punched a male user in his 50s in the face and kicked another user in his 60s in the body. The social welfare corporation Hokushoukai commented, “We take this incident very seriously. We will work sincerely to prevent a recurrence.”

Episode Notes:

‘After Occurrences of Abuse are Discovered at Sapporo Facility for People with Disabilities, Ward Office Imposes Three-month Suspension on Admitting New Users’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/12/12/after-occurrences-of-abuse-are-discovered-at-sapporo-facility-for-people-with-disabilities-ward-office-imposes-three-month-suspension-on-admitting-new-users/

Sapporo Care Facility for Disabled Receives Three-Month Suspension on New Users After Two Assaults

Two years have now passed since the disability studies scholar and Japanologist Mark Bookman PhD (1991 - 2022) died on December 16th 2022. At the time of his death, Mark was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Tokyo College and about to take up a position at Ritsumeikan University. 

The film ‘Mark: A Call to Action’ chronicles his life and the ‘GLIDE fund’ is an organization established in Mark’s memory to provide financial assistance to disabled students interested in education exchange experiences to foster an inclusive society in which anyone can lead an independent and self-determined life. GLIDE Fund, Inc. is an established 501(c)(3) organization. All contributions to the Fund are fully tax deductible as allowed by law in each territory.

Mark’s sister Rachel Bookman also passed on July 4th 2024.

Episode Notes:

‘Mark: A Call to Action’ (Amazon Prime Video US): 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0DFV7V9Y6/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

GLIDE Website: https://www.glidefund.org

Second Anniversary of Disability Studies Scholar and Japanologist Dr. Mark Bookman’s Death

On December 13th, Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture, took administrative action under the Comprehensive Support for Persons with Disabilities Act to revoke the designation of ‘MIRAI’, a Type B support for continuous employment support facility operated by Imakoko, a general incorporated association in the city, for fraudulently claiming and receiving approximately 7.95 million yen in disability welfare service benefits.

Episode Notes:

‘Fukui Prefecture Takes “administrative action” Over Fraudulent Claims of 7.95 Million Yen in Welfare Service Benefits for People with Disabilities’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/12/15/fukui-prefecture-takes-administrative-action-over-fraudulent-claims-of-7-95-million-yen-in-welfare-service-benefits-for-people-with-disabilities/

Fukui Takes “administrative action” Over 7.95 Million Yen Fraudulent Benefit Claims for Disabled

A large number of people with disabilities are being let go from workplaces in Japan as government-aided employers which offered them chances to gain skills and knowledge while working have been closing down. The national government should speed up support measures while thinking up systems to protect their employment. Formerly, there were about 4,600 such facilities nationwide. Between March and July this year, this was reduced by more than 160, and around 4,300 people lost their jobs. Usually, between around 1,000 and 3,000 people with disabilities are fired each year, but this year stands greatly apart.

Episode Notes:

‘Large Number of People with Disabilities in Japan ‘let go’ from Workplaces as Government-aided Employers Close Down’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/12/17/large-number-of-people-with-disabilities-in-japan-let-go-from-workplaces-as-government-aided-employers-close-down/

Large Number of Disabled in Japan ‘let go’ from Workplaces as Government-aided Employers Close Down

In the style of all the ‘big beasts’ of social media, I thought ‘Barrier Free Japan’ should do a ‘Wrap-up’ at the end of 2024. 

2024 seemed to be the year of finalizing ‘forced sterilization’ cases. In July, the Eugenic Protection Law was deemed unconstitutional by the Japanese Supreme Court, and later in July the then Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida apologized for the Eugenic Protection Law  - (I wrongly said the apology might have been given in October or November in the Podcast). The Forced Sterilization Compensation Bill was passed into Law in October 2024. Later in mid-November the ‘last forced sterilization victim’, Keiko Onoue received 13 million Yen in compensation and her spouse, Kazutaka received 2 million yen in compensation.

In early December, Yumi Suzuki, one of the plaintiffs in forced sterilization lawsuits against the Japanese Government was named an “Influential and inspiring woman” by the BBC.

Barrier Free Japan wishes you a ‘Merī Kurisumasu’ and a Barrier Free New Year!

The Disability News Japan 2024 Wrap-Up!

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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