Aoi Matamura
Managing Director and Secretary General
General Incorporated Association National Federation of Hand-in Hand Incubation Associations

The National Federation of Hand-in-Hand Incubation Associations (henceforth referred to as Zenikuren) was established in 1952 and is an organization composed of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and supporters. We would like to inform every one of the recent developments of Zenikuren.

Overseas Cooperation

Zenikuren is also positioned as a regular member (Japan Branch) of Inclusion International (International Federation of Incubation Associations) and participates, as a member, in general meetings and world conventions. In Asia, in addition, we participate in an international conference called the Asian Conference on Intellectual Disabilities. We have established an organization in Zenikuren called the International Incubation Associations in order to promote such international activities.

Awareness-Raising Activities

In order for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live in the community as a matter of course, the understanding of the entire community, including the local residents, is essential. For this reason, Zenikuren is actively promoting awareness-raising activities. Specifically, we have set up a nationwide Enlightment Caravan to spread an understanding of what intellectual and developmental disabilities entail through familiar simulated experiences. Regarding these activities, Zenikuren has set up an organization called the Enlightenment Caravan/Web Promotion Committee to promote these initiatives.

In particular, in the first half of 2024, the revision of the Act for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities will come into effect, and it will be fully compulsory to provide reasonable accommodation to people who have difficulties in social life due to their disabilities. However, an understanding of basic disability characteristics is essential in order to provide disability-specific accommodations. For this reason, more proactive educational activities are important for intellectual and developmental disabilities, which are difficult for nondisabled people to comprehend.

Collaboration with Domestic and Foreign-Related Organizations

Collaboration between organizations is important in developing movements for individuals with disabilities, but it is sometimes difficult to achieve visible cooperation because of the different characteristics of disabilities. Therefore, Zenikuren serves as the main office and has launched a network organization centered on "culture and art," which is an area where it is easy to collaborate across barriers of disability. This National Network for Promoting Cultural and Artistic Activities of Disabled Persons, has become an organization that crosses over the three categories of disabilities which are physical, intellectual, and mental under the common purpose of spreading cultural and artistic activities of individuals with disabilities.

Responses and Innovations in the Corona Disaster

The new coronavirus had a major impact on various events held at Zenikuren. It has become difficult to hold the large group events that we used to hold, and for a period of time, the activities have greatly stagnated. However, by utilizing a rapidly developing online conference system, we were able to connect with organizations across the country. In addition, we have increased information dissemination through the website and SNS to a greater degree than before, and we have also established an official YouTube channel for Zenikuren.

Zenikuren homepage
http://zen-iku.jp/
Zenikuren Official YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ku3sanVaM1u6hM4MLCKVA

Other Major Initiatives

In response to the voices of our members who say that they are unable to purchase various types of insurance because of their disabilities, Zenikuren has started handling insurance products designed to make it easier for those people to join, based on the SDGs philosophy of”leaving no one behind.” Since this is a welfare program for members, membership in the Incubation Associations is required. If you are interested, please contact the Zenikuren Tokyo office (03-5358-9274).