Government Implementation of the Standard Rules
As Seen By Member Organizations of
Disabled Peoples' International - DPI

Japan

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

DPI, Japan
Compare with the following Country Report(s): the Japanese Government, RI

General policy

The officially recognized disability policy is expressed in law, in guidelines adopted by the government, in guidelines adopted by the national disability council and in policy adopted by NGO's. The Government states that disability policy is expressed in law and in guidelines adopted by the Government. The emphasis in this policy is on rehabilitation, individual support, accessibility measures, prevention and anti-discrimination law.

Since the adoption of the Rules, the government has conveyed the message of full participation by means of the adoption of a long range plan.

Legislation

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by special legislation. According to the Government, the rights of disabled people are protected by a combination of special legislation and general legislation.

General legislation applies to persons with different disabilities apply with respect to education, employment, and property rights. According to the Government, general legislation also applies regarding the right to marriage, the right to parenthood/family, political rights, access to court-of-law, and the right to privacy. The following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities: health and medical care, training, rehabilitation and counselling, employment and financial security.

New legislation concerning disability has been enacted, since the adoption of the Rules.

Accessibility

There are rules to ensure accessibility of the built environment which establish national design standards requiring that public places, the outdoor environment and means of public transport are made accessible. According to the Government, there are standards requiring that even housing is made accessible. Accessibility in the built environment is observed by a national authority and by local governments. The following measures have been promoted by the government to ensure accessibility in the built environment: levelling off pavements, marking parking areas, installing lifts and accessible toilets, ensuring access to public places, providing financial incentives/support for accessibility measures in housing and providing specially adapted motor vehicles. According to the Government, even special lighting and contrast colours are used in order to facilitate accessibility in the built environment and a lot of other measures, not even listed in the questionnaire, are indicated by the Government. There are special transport arrangements for persons with disabilities available for medical treatment, education, employment and for recreational purpose. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are attitudinal factors, economic/budgetary factors, lack of legislation and regulations, lack of planning and design capacity and lack of enforcement mechanism. There is a disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers.

Sign language is recognized as the main means of communication between deaf persons and others. There are government measures to encourage media and other forms of public information to make their services accessible for persons with disabilities. The following services are provided in order to facilitate information and communication between persons with disabilities and others: literature in Braille, news magazines on tape/Braille and sign language interpretation, for major events. According to the Government, sign language interpretation is provided for any purpose.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There is a national umbrella organization. There are legal provisions mandating the representatives of persons with disabilities to participate in policy-making and to work with governmental institutions. Disability organizations are always consulted, when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations occur at the national, regional and local level. The government gives financial and organizational/logistic support to existing or new organizations of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in government, legislatures, judicial authorities and political parties and to a great extent in NGO's. According to the Government, disabled people participate only to some extent in NGO's. The role of organizations of persons with disabilities is to advocate rights and improved services, mobilize persons with disabilities, identify needs and priorities, participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services and measures concerning the lives of persons with disabilities, contribute to public awareness and provide services. According to the Government, disabled persons organizations even promote/organize income generating activities.

Co-ordination of work

The national co-ordinating committee is reporting to the Prime Minister's office. It includes representatives of many Ministries, of organizations of persons with disabilities, and of scholars. According to the Government, the co-ordinating committee also includes representatives of other NGO's, the private sector, and labour unions. The government expects the committee to participate in policy development but not to perform other tasks. According to the Government, the co-ordinating committee is also expected to perform other tasks, such as monitoring and implementation of policies. The establishment of the co-ordinating committee has led to: improved co-ordination of measures/programmes, improved legislation and more accurate planning. The Government states that the establishment of the co-ordinating committee has also led to improved integration of responsibility, a better dialogue in the disability field, more effective use of resources, and improved promotion of public awareness.

The adoption of the Rules, to a certain extent, has led to a rethinking of the approach to disability policy.

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Contents of the DPI Report | Compare with the following Country Report(s): the Japanese Government, RI