On 17 April 2023, at the 128th breakout session on the Employment of Persons with Disabilities under the Labor Policy Council, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) reported the results of a survey of so-called business agencies of companies employing persons with disabilities.

These so-called business agencies provide workplaces for persons with disabilities employed under these companies. In recent years, an increasing number of such types of businesses have provided rental farms to companies employing persons with disabilities so that they can work together on the farm as a single entity. This method allows companies to meet their employment quotas for persons with disabilities, without needing to secure a workplace for them inside their companies. In addition, the business agencies for companies that employ workers with disabilities can receive funding from these companies in various ways.

There is a debate on whether this type of employment of persons with disabilities is in line with the aims of the Act to Facilitate the Employment of Persons with Disabilities, which the Diet has studied.

The MHLW has surveyed the current situation of business agencies that provide facilities and equipment (for farms, satellite offices, etc.) in workplaces for persons with disabilities, referring to this practice as an employment business for persons with disabilities.

The results of the survey are shown below:
(As of March end, 2023)

(*1) As far as could be ascertained, the agencies with the biggest number of workplaces operates in 37 places. The agencies with the highest number of user companies had 512 such companies.
(*2) The number of workplaces as ascertained through interviews by Labor Bureaus or on the websites of business agencies: 45 of them were visited by the Labor Bureau to ascertain the actual situation.
(*3) The total number of companies by the workplaces identified (duplicated figures are recorded if the same company uses several workplaces. In some workplaces, the number of companies using the same workplaces is not known, so the number of companies is shown as 1,081 or more). The workplace that was used by the largest number was used by 29 companies.
(*4) Two companies used more than one agency and are recorded as duplicates in the number of companies using the service. 42 of those companies were visited by the Labor Bureau to ascertain their actual situation.
(*5) The number of workers ascertained through interviews by the Labor Bureau or through the websites of business agencies. (The number is indicated as 6,568 or more since many are listed as "XX persons or more" on their websites, and some cannot be ascertained).

In determining the actual situation, the survey covers a wide range of workplaces, including those that do not provide work or other services.

For more information, please visit: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/shingi/shingi-rousei_126985.html