Masashi Okamoto

Born in 1982, currently living in Miyazaki City. He requires assistance in almost all of his daily life due to Duchenne muscular dystrophy. He operates a computer and plays games using switches held in his fingertips, which he can move slightly, and an eye-controlled focus system, which uses eye movements. He carries out activities to communicate about the ways in which computer games can be adapted from the perspective of the people directly concerned. The name of these activities is the “Miyabi Project”

I received a diagnosis of muscular dystrophy when I was around three years old. At the start, I was just more likely to fall over than other children, and went to the local elementary school. When it was time to think about moving up to junior high school, walking had become quite difficult, and I myself chose to go to a special needs school where I could move around freely in my electric wheelchair. Since it was far from my home, I moved away from my parents and entered a muscular dystrophy ward attached to the school.

After graduating from the senior high division, I went on to university in Kumamoto. Using home caregivers, I lived alone while attending university. After graduation, I returned to my family home, and spent my time doing things like helping with local volunteer activities. In this context, I had what for me was a really wonderful encounter, and I got married four years ago, on my birthday.
After that, I left my family home, and the two of us now live in an accessible apartment designed for families run by a social welfare corporation.

In terms of my physical condition, I use a ventilator with a nose mask, and mostly spend my life in bed. I usually use two switches which I hold in my fingertips and an eye-controlled focus system to operate my computer, and spend my time gaming. I establish ways of operating the gaming console for games I particularly like using my eye movements and the switches, and am active in disseminating this information.

I have enjoyed computer games ever since I was a child, but I gave up for a while when I became unable to hold the controller due to the progression of my disease. At that time, I happened by chance to find some information on the Internet about how to enjoy gaming even with a severe disability by making various adaptations, and I was able to begin playing again. Just as I was helped by the information which someone shared, I hope that what I share will be of use to someone. This is what prompted me to start disseminating information.

As I continued these activities, I had more chances to meet people, making connections and friends in every region of the country. From them, I gained information which I did not know and had opportunities to work together on the development of devices useful for gaming, so my own gaming environment evolved. In addition, through collaborating on the development of products, I have heard many people report joyfully that they can now play the games which they had given up on playing.

I realized that the information which I initially shared “for someone’s sake” had led before I knew it to an improvement in the quality of my own life. In the same way, I think that when many people communicate their experiences, they will share their troubles and solve them together: I think that society is moving in that kind of direction.

In addition to my information-sharing activities, I am part of a group in which the friends whom I have met through gaming get together online about once a month to play against each other. Our aim is not to compete to win, but rather to enjoy ourselves together in the same space, irrespective of age or disability.

What I often hear from the people impacted through these activities is “I want to start gaming but there is no specialist close by from whom I can get advice, so I am having trouble”. I myself have had the same experience, and think that this is going to become a big issue. In order to address this issue, occupational therapists and others are currently playing the main role in providing support for gaming in some regions. I hope that such support will become available to everyone, wherever in the country they live.

When it comes to my own future, it is true that my disease is progressing and various physical issues are emerging. However, I want to be grateful to the wonderful people I’ve had the good fortune to meet, and to continue to enjoy my life with my wife. I have nothing but gratitude for my wife, who chooses to be by my side.

Edited and Published by the Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities.

Published on July 25th, 2023.