Country Report of Japan

Japan
Speaker: Yoshihiko Sasagawa, Chairman, National Committee of Welfare for the Blind in Japan (NCWBJ)

In Japan, acupuncture, moxibustion and massage have always been considered as one of the most effective and important jobs for the blind and visually impaired to achieve their occupational independence. Various advancements in the modern society came to urge therapists to have the high level of knowledge and techniques, and nowadays students in Japan must finish 3 years of training after graduating from senior high school, take national qualification exams, have the grades above certain level, and receive official license from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, in order to be able to practice these therapies. The qualification exams are not easy, and students must study very hard to pass the test. After obtaining the license, the blind and visually impaired either open and run their own clinics, work as physiotherapeutic trainers at special nursing homes, or become employed as so called "health keepers" at private and public institutions which provide massage for employees' welfare. These masseurs are leading their lives with economic independence.

With the background of our long history of massage practiced by the blind and visually impaired, Japan has been exerting efforts to proliferate and promote massage as an occupation for the blind in the Asia Region. Since the year 2003, there was a 5-year JICA-sponsored Okinawa Project at the Okinawa International Center and the Okinawa School for the Blind, to train massage instructors in Asia. The consignee of this project was Okinawa Association of Welfare for the Blind. We welcomed 27 trainees who are leaders of massage for the blind in the respective countries, and the Project was supported by countries and territories in Asia, a number of volunteers in Okinawa, and the members of the Support Network which was formed to assist the Okinawa Project. Some of the graduates of this training course are running their own clinics back home, with great success. This project lasted for 5 years and ended in December 2007. At the last closing ceremony, we heard trainees asking why such a valuable project will have to end. Maybe we have some Okinawa Project graduates in this audience.

Those who were involved in the Project were struggling for ways to make the most of what we experienced throughout the project, when the idea of forming the massage instructors network for the blind in Asia (called AMIN) was brought to light, under the initiative of the Tsukuba University of Technology. This idea was presented at the 8th WBU Asia Pacific Regional Seminar on Massage for the Blind held in Japan, and the proposal was supported by members from Asian countries. AMIN was officially set up in October 2007, inviting delegates from countries and territories in Asia. AMIN will be engaged in the following activities:

(1) Sharing, exchange and promotion of knowledge, techniques and information on massage;
(2) Organizing training sessions to foster massage instructors;
(3) Running and maintaining the data bank of lecturers and expertise, dispatch of lecturers to training sessions;
(4) Creation and management of teaching materials;
(5) Provision and management of information, technical instructions and equipment which are needed to run and maintain networks of the blind and visually impaired in the massage field.
AMIN Secretariat is held at the Tsukuba University of Technology. In the coming years, WBUAP, the Regional Massage Commission and AMIN should work together closely so that more and more blind and visually impaired persons in the Asia Region will attain occupational independence as masseurs and make their contributions to the local communities and society at large as an individual by promoting the health of the fellow citizens, cure diseases etc.

I would like to close my country report by expressing my wish that every one of you who are here participating this Massage Seminar will work hard back home to promote the occupation of massage for the blind and visually impaired in your country and territory.