An organization made up of parents of severely physically and mentally disabled children receiving medical care at home has requested Sendai City to expand hospital beds and day care services. The organization visited Aoba Ward Office in Sendai City on March 24th and handed in a request letter calling for an increase in short-term hospital beds for severely physically and mentally disabled children and adults who play an important role when their family members are unwell, and an expansion of day care services that they use on a daily basis.

Episode Notes: 

‘Parents of severely disabled children request Sendai City expand hospital beds and day care services’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2025/03/25/parents-of-severely-disabled-children-request-sendai-city-expand-hospital-beds-and-day-care-services/


Sendai Parents of Children with Disabilities Call for Increase in Short-term Hospital Beds

A school operator in the Tokyo suburbs required parents of newly enrolled students to submit a written pledge promising not to leak internal school information to outside parties, sources have told the Mainichi Shimbun.

Musashino Higashi Gakuen is known for its inclusive education model, in which children with and without autism study together. Some parents have noted that "few places offer inclusive education for children with autism," amid growing unease about the institution's future.

Episode Notes:

‘Tokyo operator of school for children with autism required nondisclosure ‘pledge’ from parents: Mainichi exclusive’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2025/03/26/tokyo-operator-of-school-for-children-with-autism-required-nondisclosure-pledge-from-parents-mainichi-exclusive/

‘The ‘Non-Disclosure Agreement’ New Neurodivergent Students & Their Parents Attending ‘Inclusive’ School in Tokyo May Have to Sign’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2025/03/27/the-non-disclosure-agreement-new-neurodivergent-students-their-parents-attending-inclusive-school-in-tokyo-may-have-to-sign/


Parents and Neurodivergent Children Attending ‘Inclusive’ School Required to Sign Non-Disclosure Agreement

Musashino Higashi Gakuen is an educational corporation that has two kindergartens, an elementary school, a junior high school, and a higher vocational school under its umbrella and is known for its inclusive education model, in which children with and without autism study together. A teacher at Musashino Higashi Gakuen says this with a grim resolve: “For the sake of the students and parents who remain, even though the school has had so many problems since the president was replaced, all the remaining teachers have no choice but to do what they can.”

Episode Notes:

‘Confusion Reigns Amid Mass Teacher Resignations at ‘Inclusive’ Tokyo School Just Prior to New School Year’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2025/03/28/confusion-reigns-amid-mass-teacher-resignations-at-inclusive-tokyo-school-just-prior-to-new-school-year/

*Apologies for the sound quality in the second part of the podcast, it sounds like I’m speaking in a tunnel, but I thought the audio was clear enough to put the episode out.



Musashino Higashi Gakuen: “Remaining teachers have no choice but to do what they can”

Parents of students attending Musashino Higashi Gakuen raised concerned about the appointment of Kenzo Matsumura as early as February 2024. In their change.org petition, parents express their concerns that the school as a “safe haven for our children is in a deep state of crisis, and with an ever growing concern about the future of our school”.

Episode Notes:

‘Parents Raised Concerns Early About Appointment of Chairman at ‘Inclusive’ Tokyo School, Alleging Harassment and Threats by Chairman’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2025/03/31/parents-raised-concerns-early-about-appointment-of-chairman-at-inclusive-tokyo-school-alleging-harassment-and-threats-by-chairman/

‘Signature campaign calling for Hazuki Loupe Chairman Kenzo Matsumura to step down as Musashino Higashi Gakuen director’ (change.org petition):

https://www.change.org/p/ハズキルーペ会長松村謙三氏の武蔵野東学園理事退任を要請する署名活動?recruited_by_id=0db854b0-0016-11f0-8ec4-877224ff1059


Musashino Higashi Gakuen: Parents of Neurodivergent Students Worried Early About "safe haven for our children”

In 2024, at a vocational high school run by Musashino Higashi Gakuen in Musashino City, a male board chairman was sent for indictment on suspicion of coercion for forcing a female student, then in her third year, to write an apology letter. On the 2nd, the Tachikawa branch of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office announced that he would not be prosecuted. The decision is effective as of March 31, and no reasons have been disclosed.

And yes, Barrier Free Japan has been published in the online publication ‘Unseen Japan.’

Episode Notes:

‘Parents Say Tokyo School Once Safe for Autistic Kids Is In “Crisis’ (Unseen Japan):

https://unseen-japan.com/musashino-higashi-gakuen-school-crisis/

‘Prosecutors Decide Not to Prosecute ‘Inclusive’ Tokyo School Chairman Over Coercion of Female Student’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2025/04/03/prosecutors-decide-not-to-prosecute-inclusive-tokyo-school-chairman-over-coercion-of-female-student/



‘Inclusive’ Tokyo School Chairman Not To Be Prosecuted Over Coercion of Schoolgirl & Barrier Free Japan in ‘Unseen Japan’

The Japan Branch of Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI) has announced that Shoji Nakanishi, a former Chair and long‑serving Standing Committee member of DPI Japan, died on March 26, 2025. Nakanishi founded Japan’s first ‘Independent Living Centre’ in 1986.

Episode Notes:

‘Shoji Nakanishi, Founder of Japan’s First Independent Living Centre, Dies Aged 80’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2025/04/06/shoji-nakanishi-founder-of-japans-first-independent-living-centre-dies-aged-80/


Shoji Nakanishi, Founder of Japan’s First Independent Living Centre, Dies Aged 80

On April 15th, Musashino Higashi Gakuen, an educational corporation based in Tokyo renowned for its inclusive educational model, filed a lawsuit seeking 725.72 million yen in damages. The lawsuit names several defendants, including individuals affiliated with an association purporting to protect the school, parents and guardians of graduates from its advanced vocational school, along with a reporter from the ‘Weekly Bunshun.’

*Clarification: Musashino Higashi Gakuen is seeking at least 725.72 million yen as stated in the initial report in the podcast - not 750 million yen as mentioned in the editorial comment made in the second part of the podcast, although it is unclear whether the 33 million claimed specifically by the Chairman (with possible further damages claims to be made) are part of the initial 725.72 million yen defamation claim.

Episode notes:

‘Scandal-Hit ‘Inclusive’ Tokyo School Files Suit Against Parents Association and Reporter After Concerns Raised Over New Chairman’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2025/04/17/scandal-hit-inclusive-school-files-suit-against-parents-association-and-reporter-after-concerns-raised-over-new-chairman/

Scandal-Hit ‘Inclusive’ Tokyo School Files Suit Against Parents Association and Reporter After Concerns Raised Over New Chairman

A new book by the counselor Yuko Kanda, that categorizes people suffering from conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, depression, and trauma disorders as animals — and portrays them as “troublesome people in the workplace” — is drawing strong backlash for promoting discriminatory views. The book claims to be packed with “techniques for winning without fighting.”

Episode Notes:

‘ “ASD is a sloth, ADHD is a monkey, trauma disorder is a sheep” New Book by Japanese Counselor Classifying Neurodivergent People as Animals Sparks Controversy’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2025/04/19/asd-is-a-sloth-adhd-is-a-monkey-trauma-disorder-is-a-sheep-new-book-by-japanese-counselor-classifying-neurodivergent-people-as-animals-sparks-controversy/

“ASD is a sloth, ADHD is a monkey”: New Book by Japanese Counselor Classifying Autistic People as Animals Sparks Controversy

Publisher Mikasa Shobo released a press statement on April 18th addressing the criticisms of the book ‘Psychological Techniques to Skillfully Handle 'Difficult' People in the Workplace' by Yuko Kanda ahead of its publication on April 22nd.

Episode Notes: 

‘Ahead of Going On Sale Publisher of Controversial Book Depicting Neurodivergent People as Animals and as ‘Difficult’ Responds to Criticism’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2025/04/21/ahead-of-going-on-sale-publisher-of-controversial-book-depicting-neurodivergent-people-as-animals-and-as-difficult-responds-to-criticism/




Publisher of Controversial Book Depicting Neurodivergent People as Animals and ‘Difficult’ Responds to Criticism

A group home for people with disabilities located in Uruma City has been found to be operating without meeting required standards and allegedly overcharging for service benefits. The prefectural government has announced that it will revoke the facility’s designation as a disability welfare service provider.

According to the prefecture, from the time the facility was designated as a disability welfare service provider in August two years ago until an audit conducted in November last year, the home had delegated operations to another organization, with the official manager failing to carry out oversight duties. Furthermore, it failed to create individualized support plans for users, among other violations of operational standards.

Episode Notes:

‘Okinawa Group Home for People with Disabilities Suspected of Overcharging without Meeting Standards has Designation Revoked’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2025/04/24/okinawa-group-home-for-people-with-disabilities-suspected-of-overcharging-without-meeting-standards-has-designation-revoked/


Okinawa Group Home for People with Disabilities Suspected of Overcharging without Meeting Standards has Designation Revoked

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.

New tracks tagged #障害