Disability News Japan
304 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 8 hours ago -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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Episodes
Megumi Prepares to Transfer Control of Business & Disability News Japan in The Mainichi!
July 14, 2024 21:00 - 3 minutes - 7.24 MBMegumi, which operates a group home for people with disabilities, submitted its business policy to Aichi Prefecture on July 12th, indicating its intention to transfer the business within the year. There is a possibility that some facilities will no longer be able to operate. Megumi, which operates a group home for people with disabilities, aims to transfer the business to a separate corporation within the year. After being found to have inflated food costs and fraudulent compensation claims,...
Japan’s PM Kishida to Apologize to Forced Sterilization Plaintiffs on July 17th
July 11, 2024 21:00 - 5 minutes - 10.3 MBJapan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says he plans to apologize to the plaintiffs in lawsuits involving forced sterilization next week. Kishida said at a meeting of ruling Liberal Democratic Party executives on Tuesday that he will meet the plaintiffs on July 17. He said the government has clearly stated that it is sincerely remorseful and offers deep apologies. Episode Notes: ‘Japan PM Kishida to apologize to plaintiffs in forced sterilization lawsuits’: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024...
Kyoto men accused of forcing disabled person into washing machine
July 08, 2024 21:00 - 3 minutes - 6.68 MBKyoto police arrested two men on Thursday for allegedly forcing a disabled coworker into an industrial washing machine and turning it on, injuring him. On March 26 at around 2:30 p.m, the two suspects reportedly told their coworker, a 50-year-old man with an intellectual disability, “You stink! Get in the washing machine.” They allegedly proceeded to force him into the machine and turn it on, resulting in injuries that required two weeks to heal. The victim sought medical attention a few d...
Minister Meets Forced Sterilization Plaintiffs, Film about Disability Scholar to be Released on DVD
July 06, 2024 21:00 - 4 minutes - 9.12 MBPrime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed Ayuko Kato, minister in charge of child policy, to set up a meeting between him and the plaintiffs this month, Kato told reporters after she met with Kishida at the prime minister’s office. Kato met with the plaintiffs on Thursday. The documentary film ‘Mark - A Call to Action’ about the late Dr. Mark Bookman, Tokyo based disability studies scholar and advocate will be released on DVD in October 2024. Episode Notes: ‘Forced Sterilization Ruling: Japa...
Japan's Top Court Orders Government to Pay Damages Over Forced Sterilization
July 04, 2024 21:00 - 6 minutes - 12.1 MBJapan’s Supreme Court on Wednesday awarded damages to victims of forced sterilizations conducted under the now-defunct eugenic protection law. Handing down a unified ruling on five related damages suits, the top court’s Grand Bench, presided over by Chief Justice Saburo Tokura, decided not to apply the 20-year statute of limitations for damages claims, a focal point of the case. It effectively handed total victory to the plaintiffs. Episode Notes: ‘Japan Top Court Orders Damages for Force...
Noto Quake Death Toll to Reach 300, COVID Patient & Elderly Person Among 18 ‘Indirect Deaths’
June 30, 2024 21:00 - 59 seconds - 1.81 MBThe death toll from the January 1st Noto Peninsula earthquake in central Japan is projected to reach 300 as 18 more indirect deaths are expected to be recognized. On Tuesday, the Ishikawa prefectural government and affected municipalities held a joint meeting and were advised to recognize 18 deaths as related to the disaster. The 18 cases include the deaths of a COVID-19 patient and an elderly person who lost physical strength while hospitalized. Such a joint meeting has been held three time...
‘Megumi' Care Home Operator for Disabled Banned from ‘renewals of service provider designation’
June 27, 2024 21:00 - 5 minutes - 10.2 MBJapan's welfare ministry said Wednesday that it has decided to apply a collective responsibility system to Megumi Co. under a related law over irregularities including overcharging, banning renewals of service provider designations for all of its group homes for disabled people. The ministry notified the company and local governments concerned of the decision. The punitive action was based on the comprehensive law on support for disabled people and the decision was made to apply the joint lia...
Rainy Season Days and ‘Hostile Benches’ in Japan
June 23, 2024 21:00 - 2 minutes - 5.17 MBTaro Igarashi is the author of “Kabobi Toshi” or “Overprotective city” published 20 years ago and in a recent interview with The Asahi Shimbun Igarashi warns how phenomena such as ‘hostile benches’ – benches, often installed in public parks that are uncomfortable to sit on – are designed in way to discourage people from using them, that they have an “exclusionary purpose” which “has long been forgotten.” Episode Notes: ‘As Public Spaces Become Limited in Japan, Architectural History Profes...
Mental Health Claims Made in Two Recent Trials in Japan
June 20, 2024 21:00 - 7 minutes - 14.5 MBTwo recent court proceedings in Japan have involved claims about the accused’s mental health: an appeal of nurse with autism whom was found guilty of murdering three patients and the man charged with killing Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Episode notes: ‘Former Japanese Nurse with Autism Gets Indefinite Term in Appeal Trial’: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/06/20/former-japanese-nurse-with-autism-gets-indefinite-term-in-appeal-trial/ ‘Psychiatric exam finds ex-Japan PM Abe shooter...
Escalator Death and Injury Incident Statistics in Japan
June 16, 2024 21:00 - 2 minutes - 4.8 MBA woman in her 80s died after her neck became trapped under the handrail at the bottom of an escalator at a supermarket in Nishitokyo on Wednesday June 12th 2024. The incident follows an incident in March at JR Mito Station, northeast of Tokyo, in which a man in his 70s died from suffocation after his suit jacket became ensnared in an escalator handrail. Following the incident in Nishitokyo , it was reported in the The Asahi Shimbun that: “[A]ccording to a survey conducted by the Consumer ...
Elderly woman dies as neck caught under Tokyo store’s escalator handrail
June 13, 2024 21:00 - 3 minutes - 6.29 MBA woman in her 80s died on Wednesday 12th June after her neck became trapped under the handrail at the bottom of an escalator at a supermarket in Tokyo, police said, in the latest accident of its kind in recent months. Security camera footage from the store in Nishitokyo, western Tokyo, shows the woman fell as she attempted to lift the walker she was using as she approached the bottom of the escalator. Her neck then became trapped between the underside of the handrail and the floor. Episode...
Japan Government to “allow” Disabled Parents to Live with Their Children
June 10, 2024 21:00 - 5 minutes - 9.53 MBJapan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has announced that it will allow disabled people to live with their children until they find a new home, in addition to its previous policy of "not expecting" disabled people to raise their children in group homes (GHs). The ministry has notified local governments nationwide in relation to the issue of disabled people undergoing sterilization procedures at GHs in Hokkaido. Episode Notes: ‘Parents with Disabilities Living in ‘Group Homes’ May Liv...
Japan Amends Law to Give National Support to Young Caregivers
June 06, 2024 21:00 - 3 minutes - 7.01 MBJapan's parliament enacted on Wednesday an amended law stipulating government assistance for young people who provide daily care for family members. The revised law to promote support for child-nurturing and youth development was approved by a majority vote of the ruling bloc at a plenary meeting of the House of Councillors, the upper parliamentary chamber. Episode Notes: ‘Japan Amends Law to Give National Support to Young Caregivers’: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/06/06/japan-amends...
Suspicious Death of Disabled Man After Dental Surgery & a Film About Forced Sterilization
June 02, 2024 21:00 - 4 minutes - 7.41 MBThe film, “Chinmoku no 50-Nen” (50 years of silence), depicts the lives of Takaji Kobayashi, 92, a hearing-impaired man from Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture, and his wife. The film uses interviews and dramatic reenactments to depict the suffering of people who were deprived of the right to bear and raise children. According to the police, at around 2:00 p.m. on the 27th of this month, a 69-year-old man with intellectual disabilities who was staying at the Andante Kashima facility for the disabled i...
As Japan’s Supreme Court Hears Appeal Over Forced Sterilization, ‘Junko Iizuka’ Speaks
May 29, 2024 14:07 - 2 minutes - 5.24 MBAs Japan’s Supreme Court Hears Appeal Over Forced Sterilization, ‘Junko Iizuka’ Speaks by Michael Gillan Peckitt
[Emergency Broadcast] The Sound of NHK Reporting a North Korea Missile Alert
May 27, 2024 14:52 - 2 minutes - 3.83 MBDon’t panic! North Korean overlords won’t be here soon! On a serious note, the alert was broadcast on NHK at around 22:47 on Monday 27th May 2024. Residents of Okinawa were advised to take shelter and the advisory was later lifted.
Kobe Para Sports, Journalism in Japan & ‘Wheelchair-bound’ versus ‘Wheelchair User’
May 26, 2024 21:00 - 4 minutes - 8.96 MBThe 2024 World Para Athletics Championships which was held from May 17th to May 25th ended on Saturday. Barrier Free Japan went to the entrance of the stadium and found it to be accessible. Not all did find it accessible though, and a woman - she never gave her name - with her husband and daughter, a daughter who has cerebral palsy. Kyodo reported: “But another Kobe resident in her 50s said that the city was "divided in some parts," while also lamenting that attendance could have been bett...
Severely Disabled Son Found in ‘weakened state’ After Death of Mother in Nagoya
May 23, 2024 21:00 - 2 minutes - 3.88 MBA woman in her 70s died at her home in Nagoya's Meito Ward, and her severely disabled son in his 40s, who lived with her, was found in a weakened state on the 14th of this month. The Kobe 2024 Para Athletics World Championships is the first time the Para Athletics World Championships has been held in an East-Asian country. Barrier Free Japan had a look at the entrance to the stadium on May 21st. Episode notes: ‘Elderly woman dies in Nagoya, severely disabled son weakens; City does not imm...
Supreme Court Makes 'Accommodations' So Disabled Plaintiffs Can Attend Forced Sterilization Case
May 18, 2024 21:00 - 5 minutes - 10.1 MBJapan’s Supreme Court will take measures to accommodate disabled plaintiffs in five damages lawsuits over forced sterilization under the now-defunct eugenic protection law, including setting up ramps for wheelchair users, it was learned Thursday. It will be the first time for the top court to implement measures for disabled people on a large scale. The Supreme Court’s Grand Bench is scheduled to hold a hearing on the five forced sterilization cases on May 29. The lawsuits against the Japane...
Japan’s NHK Drama ‘Percent’ Highlights Issues About How Disability is Depicted
May 12, 2024 21:00 - 2 minutes - 4.81 MBThe NHK TV drama ‘Percent’ premiered on Saturday 11th May on NHK G. The drama concerns Mirai (Miku, Marika Ito) who joins a TV station because she admires their drama production, and one day, her project is accepted for the first time. Her joy is short-lived, however, when her programming manager Fujitani (Satoshi Hashimoto) tells her to change the character of her main character to a person with a disability in a special drama for "Diversity Month.'' Although she is confused, she begins to...
Fukuoka Hospital says sorry for male staff sexually abusing patients, no further action taken
May 09, 2024 21:00 - 4 minutes - 7.9 MBThe president of National Hospital Organization Omuta National Hospital apologized on May 2 after confirming that male employees sexually abused patients who have severe mental and physical disabilities. The hospital has not taken any administrative action against the five employees who are suspected of abuse. The employees abused patients by stimulating their pubic areas while they were sleeping or being assisted in the bath, and touching female patients' breasts. Episode Notes: ‘Fukuoka ...
Chiba Workers with Disabilities Told Only “Coming to the farm is your job”
May 03, 2024 21:00 - 3 minutes - 6.65 MB“The work was far from professional agriculture, and most of the time was spent on breaks. If there was a harvest, I would do it, but there were days when I just watered the crop. In those cases, it only took about 30 minutes, and I had five or six hours of free time. Some people were on their cell phones or listening to music, and had a lot of free time. They told me that ‘coming to the farm is your job.' Compared to the employment support facility, my salary was several tens of thousands o...
Writer and Disability Activist Hirotada Ototake Speaking After Conceding Tokyo By-Election
April 30, 2024 21:00 - 3 minutes - 5.74 MBAuthor of ‘No One’s Perfect’, Hirotada Ototake who ran as an independent in Tokyo’s 15th district in a by-election for a seat in House of Representatives on Sunday 28th April, came in fifth, about 30,000 votes behind the winner. In a post on ‘X’, formerly Twitter, Ototake stated on April 28th: “I was unsuccessful this time. I blame it all on my own lack of ability.” Episode notes: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/04/29/writer-and-disability-activist-hirotada-ototake-speaking-after-concedi...
Kobe Gets ‘PARAgrressive’ about Sports, Disabled Writer Ototake ‘Certain’ to Lose By-Election
April 28, 2024 21:00 - 2 minutes - 5.09 MBOn April 27th Kobe City started to literally ‘fly the flag’ – put out flags in Kobe City – heralding the Kobe 2024 Para Athletics World Championships to be held from May 17th – May 25th. An event titled ‘PARAgrressive Day’ was held in various locations in Kobe. Barrier Free Japan made some videos! As of the evening of April 28th 2024, Hirotada Ototake is set to lose the by-election for a House of Representatives seat. On April 23rd it was reported that someone was arrested for attacking a st...
Eight Type 1 Diabetes Patients Have Disability Payments Restored After Second Court Case
April 22, 2024 21:00 - 4 minutes - 7.4 MBEight years ago, eight patients living in Osaka, Nara, etc. filed a lawsuit against the government after their long-term basic disability pension was discontinued, and all of them won, but they were subsequently rejected again by the government. Since the payment was made, they filed a second complaint. A second court case was held in which the same eight patients with type 1 diabetes, whose bodies cannot produce insulin to lower blood sugar levels due to immune abnormalities, sued the gover...
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #20: Electric Wheelchairs in Japan: “right to move is missing”
April 18, 2024 21:00 - 9 minutes - 16.5 MB“In Japan, the idea of a right to move is missing. It is not a problem only for people with disabilities. In rural areas, public transportation declines for business reasons and elderly people who cannot drive a car are inconvenienced,” said wheelchair user Hideto Kijima (45) after he was was forced to crawl up a set of stairs to the plane on the now defunct ‘Vanilla Air’ LCC in June 2017. Vanilla Air later merged with ‘Peach Aviation’ and it was reported on April 13th 2024 that a “Taiwanese...
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #19: 40% of Hospitals Ask Family to Care 24/7 for Child Inpatients
April 14, 2024 21:00 - 3 minutes - 6.06 MBAbout 40 pct of Japanese medical institutions accepting hospitalizations of children ask family members to stay around the clock with them in certain circumstances, a government survey showed Friday 12th April. Following the initial concerns with ‘beni koji’ supplements, problems linked to 18 food items with functional claims have been reported in Japan other than those allegedly caused by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. supplements. Episode Notes: ’40% of Hospitals in Japan Request Family Be...
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #18: Disabled Author Hirotada Ototake to Run in Lower House Tokyo By-Election
April 11, 2024 21:00 - 2 minutes - 5.15 MBAuthor of ‘No One’s Perfect’, Hirotada Ototake said on Monday April 8th that he will run as an independent in the April 28 House of Representatives by-election in the Tokyo No. 15 constituency with the backing of Tomin First no Kai or ‘Tokyoites First Party’, a political organization closely linked to Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike that he serves as deputy leader. Ototake said that as one who has congenital tetra-amelia syndrome, he wants to "help people in need through the power of politics.” ...
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #17: Prejudice Against Ex-Leprosy Patients in Japan & Other FY News
April 07, 2024 21:00 - 4 minutes - 8.44 MBA disability news-related digest from the first few days of April 2024 in Japan, the beginning of the fiscal year. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. says that water leaked “into ‘beni-koji’ production tank in past.” Japan’s Health Ministry conducted a poll that revealed 35% of people are prejudiced against ex-leprosy patients and 2024 brings changes regarding policies about health and for people with disabilities in Japan. Episode Notes: ‘Spring 2024 in Japan Brings In Changes for Health and Pe...
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #16: Japan Saw Record Ambulance Dispatches in 2023
April 04, 2024 21:00 - 2 minutes - 4.03 MBThere were 7,637,967 ambulance dispatches in Japan in 2023, the highest figure since comparable data became available in 1963, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said in a preliminary report. From the previous year, ambulance dispatches increased 5.6 pct. The agency also said a record 6,639,959 people, up 6.8 pct, were transported by ambulance. Episode Notes: ‘Japan Saw Record Ambulance Dispatches in 2023’ (March 29 2024): https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/03/29/japan-saw-record-ambula...
Okinawa Tsunami Warning & Advisory Lifted Wednesday 3rd April 2024
April 03, 2024 13:16 - 2 minutes - 3.89 MBWell, the tsunami warnings and advisories for Okinawa are lifted, of course we still have to be cautious and be aware of the possibility of further earthquakes. We breath a sigh of relief!
Tsunami Warning Wednesday 3rd April 2024
April 03, 2024 02:45 - 2 minutes - 3.78 MBAt around 8:58AM on Wednesday 3rd April 2024 there was an earthquake near Taiwan, the exact magnitude of which is still be determined, but it was between 7.4 and 7.7. The earthquake also registered in Japan and a tsunami warning was issued for Okinawa. It has since be reduced from a warning to an advisory, but caution is still advised.
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #15: Japan raises ratio of disabled employees to 2.5% in private sector
April 01, 2024 21:00 - 1 minute - 2.89 MBThe Japanese government has raised the legally required ratio of employees with disabilities in the private sector to 2.5 percent or higher starting on April 1. The labor and welfare ministry says the number of people with disabilities working at private firms has been on an upward trend. It estimates the figure to be more than 1.1 million as of June 2023. Episode Notes: ‘Japan raises ratio of employees with disabilities to 2.5% in private sector’: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/04/01/ja...
Kumamoto Day Care Service for Children with Disabilities Sanctioned for Falsifying Care Plans
March 31, 2024 21:00 - 2 minutes - 4.25 MBAn office that provides after-school day care services for children with disabilities has been subject to administrative sanctions for falsifying support plans for the children. According to Kumamoto City, ‘Banana Land’ had falsified dates and other information about the support plan, using the parent’s seal or stamp without permission. Episode notes: 'Kumamoto Day Care Service for Children with Disabilities Sanctioned for Falsifying Care Plans': https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/03/31/kum...
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #13: Two Consumers of Kobayashi ‘beni koji’ Health Supplement Die
March 28, 2024 10:45 - 3 minutes - 5.53 MBTwo people who used the ‘beni koji’ health supplement have died, one of whom died of a kidney disease. Episode Notes: ‘Second Fatal Case Reported among Kobayashi Supplement Users’: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/03/27/second-fatal-case-reported-among-kobayashi-supplement-users/
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #12: You’ll be Elderly in Japan, Use QR Codes & You’ll be Happy
March 27, 2024 21:00 - 2 minutes - 4.84 MBIn a country notorious for its reliance on cash, municipalities across Japan have been staging electronic payment uptake drives to stimulate digitalized consumption by granting shopping points for transactions using QR codes. Some remain reluctant, especially elderly people and others who find digital devices difficult to operate, and who continue to view cash as the be-all and end-all for making purchases. Episode notes: ‘Local gov'ts supporting elderly by promoting cashless payment system...
Sho Kawai, Japanese Philosopher with Cerebral Palsy to Ask ‘Questions, Questions’ on New NHK Program
March 26, 2024 12:43 - 2 minutes - 4.37 MBEpisode Notes: Japan’s NHK has produced a new program that explores "questions" through dialogue with a wide variety of people, including doctors who understand the language of birds, philosophers, businessmen, people with drug addictions and intellectual disabilities, and designers! How would you answer? 鳥の言葉がわかる博士、哲学者、ビジネスマン、薬物依存症や知的障害のある人、デザイナーなど…多様な人たちとの対話で「問い」を探求する新番組！あなたならどう答える？ ‘Toi ‘Toi’ to air for the first time on NHK E TV on Friday 29th March 2024 初回放送日: 2024年3月29日 NHK ‘Toi To...
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #11: Osaka Company Develops Smart Remote Control for People with Disabilities
March 25, 2024 21:00 - 2 minutes - 4.3 MB‘Access Yell’, a venture company based in Ibaraki City, Osaka Prefecture that manufactures assistive devices for people with disabilities, has developed a smart remote control for televisions that is easy to operate for people with physical disabilities, and began selling it at the end of 2023. Episode Notes: ‘Osaka Company Develops Smart Remote Control for People with Disabilities’: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/03/24/osaka-company-develops-smart-remote-control-for-people-with-disabili...
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #10: Aeon Cinema Chain Apologizes Over Access Debacle
March 24, 2024 21:00 - 2 minutes - 4.13 MBThe day after Ryoko Nakajima made the post, Aeon Entertainment, which operates the cinema chain, issued an apology: “It has come to our attention that an Aeon Entertainment employee made an inappropriate comment to a customer while assisting the customer to move to another location after the customer had finished watching a movie. We regret the incident and believe that it was caused by a lack of guidance to our employees.” Episode Notes: ‘(Update) Wheelchair User Denied Accessible Space at...
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #9: Social Media Responds to Wheelchair User’s Post about Cinema Access
March 23, 2024 21:00 - 2 minutes - 4.96 MBThe incident took place at an Aeon cinema in Tokyo, which is regularly used by Ryoko Nakajima, a wheelchair-using woman. TBS reported that: “The woman watched the movie not from the wheelchair-only space, but from a reclining seat with four steps.” When Ryoko Nakajima posted about this incident on social media, in which she said she would be refused admission to the cinema next time, it went viral. People on social media, or Social Network System (SNS) had a variety of opinions, here are some...
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #8: Wheelchair User Denied Accessible Space at Tokyo Cinema
March 21, 2024 21:00 - 3 minutes - 5.91 MBThe Shog-A.I. Shimbun goes to the movies, sort of…An incident took place at a cinema in Tokyo, which is usually used by a woman in a wheelchair. TBS reported that: “The woman watched the movie not from the wheelchair-only space, but from a reclining seat with four steps.” The woman paid an additional fee and watched the movie in a reclining seat, rather than in the wheelchair-only space. Episode Notes: ‘Wheelchair User Denied Accessible Seating at Tokyo Cinema Raises Concern as Japan’s Bar...
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #7: A No News Stormy/Sunny First Day of Spring!
March 20, 2024 21:00 - 2 minutes - 3.86 MBMarch 20th 2024 was the Spring equinox and a national holiday in Japan, but it is was very windy. There is also very little news!
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #6: The Spring Equinox Holiday Edition!
March 19, 2024 21:00 - 2 minutes - 5.25 MBThe Spring equinox, March 20th 2024 is a national holiday in Japan! There is sakura and a Shog-A.I. Shimbun episode! Today’s episode mentions an NPO in Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture that has begun an initiative to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities in the agricultural field. Michey Peckitt in A.I. mode also talks a bit about the derogatory language that is sometimes used in both LGBT+ and disability journalism. Episode Notes: (In Japanese): ‘Expanding employment...
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #5: Japan Gender Identity Society Renamed to Avoid Medicalized Language
March 18, 2024 21:00 - 2 minutes - 4.38 MBWhat was formerly the GID (Gender Identity Disorder) Society, which promotes research on transgender people whose minds and bodies do not match, officially announced at its general meeting held in Okinawa Prefecture on March 17th that it will change its name. The change, announced Sunday at its general meeting, is in line with the World Health Organization's recent advice to use the term "gender incongruence" instead of "gender disorder." The society's new English name is yet to be formally d...
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #4: McDonalds App Fail A Barrier to News Stories!
March 17, 2024 21:00 - 1 minute - 3.07 MBOk, this is a bit of fun, but behind it are two serious points. Firstly since the term ‘shogai’ or ‘障害’ can mean ‘failure’, ‘obstacle’ as well as ‘disability’, the algorithm Gods of Google won’t quickly show up recent news stories about disability in Japan because everyone is talking about the McDonald’s App ‘fail’ that happened on Friday. Secondly, a reliance on technology to accomplish tasks like buying food is also a concern for me as a person with disabilities. I'm not always lovin' it.
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #3: Further Details on the ‘Hokkaido Farm Abuse Case’
March 16, 2024 21:00 - 5 minutes - 9.99 MBWhilst reading about the ranch operator in northern Japan's Hokkaido who admitted in court on March 12th that they had not paid intellectually disabled workers for decades, giving them only "snacks and juice,” Barrier Free Japan went back to their blog and re-read reports. Episode notes: ‘ “Besides being intellectually disabled, you are a human being” ’: Plaintiff claims in Hokkaido farm abuse lawsuit’: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2023/11/28/besides-being-intellectually-disabled-you-are-...
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #2: Evening Edition
March 15, 2024 06:00 - 2 minutes - 4.55 MBAs soon as the second episode of the ‘Shog-A.I. Shimbun’ was uploaded a report by The Mainichi Shimbun on a similar theme - that of people with disabilities not being paid for work - was published, so this is kind of a ‘Shog-A.I, episode two: evening edition.’ A ranch operator in northern Japan's Hokkaido admitted in court on March 12 that they had not paid intellectually disabled workers for decades, giving them only "snacks and juice.” Three mentally disabled men in their 60s, all living...
The Shog-A.I. Shimbun #2: High Wages, Low Wages Japan for the Disabled
March 14, 2024 21:00 - 4 minutes - 7.39 MBThis is the second edition of The ‘Shog-A.I. Shimbun’, the AI narrated news report about disability issues in Japan. This episode covers news reports from March 11th - March 14th 2024. The first news story is about people with disabilities not being paid wages in Saitama, the second is about worries of a potential German measles outbreak and the third is about high wages for people with disabilities in Tottori Prefecture. Episode Notes: ‘Saitama Employment Support Business Closed Over Non-P...
The First Edition of the 'Shog-A.I. Shimbun'!
March 11, 2024 21:00 - 2 minutes - 4.82 MBBarrier Free Japan Japan introduces the 'Shog-A.I. Shimbun'! The podcast news digest about disability issues in Japan! Episode notes: 'Websites in Japan becoming more friendly to people with disabilities’ https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/03/07/websites-in-japan-becoming-more-friendly-to-people-with-disabilities/ ‘Fathers of babies in Japan who die of abuse on day of birth rarely identified’ https://barrierfreejapan.com/2024/03/09/fathers-of-babies-in-japan-who-die-of-abuse-on-day-of-birth-...
Disability News About Japan Now Powered By AI!
March 10, 2024 21:00 - 1 minute - 3.17 MBThe robots are coming, Barrier Free Japan is being upgraded against their will! Well, not quite yet, but playing around with Sora AI and the Echo AI and it is convincing to a point. I can see why artists, writers, composers are worried. I can also see some benefits of AI as a person with disabilities, university lecturer and podcast creator. Maybe legislation at the very least clarifying if and how AI infringes copyright and intellectual property is needed. And yes, I am enjoying ‘Shogun’.