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Funding and governance of library and information services for visually impaired people: international case studies

Part2:Country studies

Japan

Rights and attitudes

Charitable giving is almost as widespread (in terms of the percentage of the population making donations) as in the USA, but amount given is relatively very small.

Social service provision by the state has historically been far less extensive than in advanced countries; there is also a tradition of provision by large companies for their employees, something which clearly disadvantages disabled people who are much less likely to be employed.

There is very little public awareness of intellectual/cognitive disabilities.

Although organizations operated by disabled people themselves in Japan cooperated in preparing the draft for the Convention of the Rights of the Disabled People adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2006, there are not many active movements by disabled people themselves in general and while officially there are anti-discrimination policies, there is apparently a greater disparity between policy and practice than in other advanced countries

There is a right of equal access to education to the high school level. From 1979, education became compulsory for all children, even those with severe and multiple disabilities. However, the movement to integrated education has not proceeded as far in Japan as in other advanced countries.

There is no general right of equal access to buildings, products and services for disabled people.

Cultural policies do recognise the right of disabled people to take part in cultural life.

There is no specific right to library services.

For visually impaired people, there are restrictions on having the same expectations as sighted people in relation to library services. Many people do not know that visually impaired people can read by using various methods. Expectations do vary according to age of onset of sight loss and also the person’s present social position. In Japan, visually impaired people are supported mainly by their family. Some people use voluntary services but both the quantity and quality of the volunteers themselves are insufficient at present.