Country Report of Japan

Japan
Speaker: Motokiyo Tokito, Vice President, Japan Federation of the Blind

I would like to welcome all delegates from Asia and Japan.
This year will be in a period of instability in our country’s social welfare, making it difficult to summarize this situation with accuracy. I will give a presentation about the current activities of the Japan Federation of the Blind and an interim report on social welfare in Japan.

1. Current activities of Japan Federation of the Blind and the current situation of social welfare in Japan.

(1) The JFB was established in 1948 in Osaka, a few years after the end of World War Two. We will celebrate the 60th anniversary of its foundation next year. Historically, the first organization of the blind, what we call “Todoza”, was established in early 17th century. After restoration of Imperial power in 1868, Todoza was forced into dissolution. Local organizations began to be established around 1910.  The Japan Federation of the Blind has been the major driving force of the disability-related movement in Japan, and as a result of this movement, the Law for the Welfare of Physically Disabled Persons was enacted in 1949.

(2) This year will be a turning point of social welfare in Japan. This year a law to support the independence of physically disabled persons, which covers visual impairment, hearing impairment, physical disability, internal disorders, intellectual disability and mental illness, was enacted as a result of a “unification of disabilities”. Consequently, specific needs based on individual disabilities have lost their characteristics, and this puts us at a disadvantage because we are a minority within the disability group.

(3) Currently, people with first degree disabilities are provided 80,000 yen a month and people with second degree disabilities are provided 60,000 as basic disability pensions.

(4) We have been provided equipment such as canes, slates and styluses, tape recorders, Braille typewriters, and audio scales, most of which are free or subsidized free. Now, because of a transfer of control from the central government to local municipalities, there is no clear understanding concerning the structures that will be used in the future.

(5) We pay half price railroad fares including guide helpers. In other words, two persons for the price of one.

(6)  In the past, guide helpers were provided a free of charge, but in the days ahead users will have to pay 10% of the charge, about 150 yen for one hour.

2. Current situation of massage and acupuncture

(1) Massage and acupuncture have traditionally been occupations exclusively for persons with visual impairments since before the 17th century. In about 1950, most of professional masseurs and acupuncturists were persons with visual impairments (PVI). Since then, the number of sighted masseurs and acupuncturists has increased, and only under 20% of all acupuncturists are PVI, and less than  30% of all masseurs are PVI.

(2) The number of people who conduct quasi-medical practices without a license has been increasing, and I am afraid that their number may outpace the number of licensed masseurs and shiatsu masseurs.

(3) The income of licensed masseurs with visual impairments has been decreasing and the remaining visually impaired masseurs are experiencing increasing economic difficulties.
 
(4) In Japan’s medical system, health insurance conditionally accepts acupuncture and massage. We can receive proper medical care according to our income, and we pay 10%, 20% or 30% of the total cost. Patient can receive acupuncture or massage treatment with a letter of approval from a doctor.

3. Education for the persons with visual impairments

From the restoration of Imperial power in 1868 until recently, blind students have gone to schools for the blind. Japan is still behind other advanced countries in acceptance of blind students in regular schools, but recently integrated education has been recognized. “The unification of disabilities” that I mentioned earlier will cover the educational system, and the schools for the blind, the hearing impaired, persons with intellectual disability, and persons in poor health will be unified as “special support schools”.

I have reported only on the disability-related movement, the current situation of acupuncture and massage, and education, although there is much more information I would like to share with you, if we additional time.