21 October 1997 (Tue)

New Laws regarding Persons with Disabilities
by
Mr. Kazuoki SHIRABE,
Director of Zencolo

New laws regarding persons with disabilities ... Brief Summary on next page

• Disabled Persons' Fundamental Law (1993)

• The Government Action Plan (1995)

Main issues:

• Employment policies and sheltered work are the two major issues.

• Shortage of work places for persons with disability

• Sheltered workshops (work centers) are the facilities for those who have difficulty in finding jobs. There are 12 types of work centers in accordance with the five laws.

• Other rising issues include improvement of living conditions for persons with severe disability.

• Increasing numbers of small-sized community workshops.

Historical development of laws relating to employment of the disabled
(Year) (Name of law/features)
1960 Physically Handicapped Persons' Employment Promotion Law
- Minimum Quota System was legally set (not compulsory)
1976 Revision of Physically Handicapped Persons' Employment Promotion Law
- Quota System was strengthened and Quota-Levy System was established
1987 Disabled Persons' Employment Promotion, etc.
- Specific disabilities were included in Quota System.
1997 Revision of Disabled Persons' Employment Promotion, etc.
- Persons with mental retardation becomes included in the Quota System.
As a result of attention paid to the mentally disabled , the quota was Increased to 1.8 per cent.

The employment promotional measures started out as an employment program for physically disabled persons an then it evolved to be legally binding as a law. The measures also opened up to include other disabilities and the idea of including vocational rehabilitation services became apparent.

A Brief Summary of the Disabled Persons' Fundamental Law (1970, revised in 1993)

The purpose of this law is to enforce the fundamental principles of promotional measures for disabled persons and designate responsibilities of the State and the people.

"Disabled persons" as used in this law means persons whose daily life or life in society is substantially limited over a long term due to a physical disability, mental retardation or mental disability.

There are other fundamental principles in the programs for persons with disabilities of the State, Metropolitan, villages as well as those public agencies in medicine, education, pension, housing, public facilities, information, culture and/or sports. For further information, contact:

Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons (JSRD)
1-22-1 Toyama Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162, Japan
Tel:81-3-5273-0601 Fax: 81-3-5273-1523

A Brief Summary of The Government Action Plan - Seven Year Normalization Strategy (1995)

The Government decided to develop the Government Action Plan for higher priority Policies in the New Long-Term Program for Government Measures for Persons with Disabilities in 1995. The Plan, Towards a Society for All, is the priority of the policies which are focussed in the following seven areas:
1) Living in Communities as Ordinary Citizens
2) Promoting the Independence of Persons with Disabilities
3) Promoting a Barrier-free Society
4) Targeting the Quality of Life (QOL)
5) Assuring Safety Livelihoods
6) Removing Psychological Barriers
7) Promoting International Cooperation and Exchanges

For further information:
Headquarters for Promoting the Welfare of Disabled Persons
Office of the Prime Minister of Japan
1-6-1 Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100, Japan
Tel:81-3-3581-2361 Fax:81-3-3581-0487

From "Resource Book of Training Course for Leaders of Persons with Disabilities 1997"

Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons